Until It Sleeps
by ucat42
Summary: Every 22 years something crawls from the bowels of the Earth to wreak havoc and death. This time, it is back early, and it's escalating. Bobby joins the Winchesters in this hunt. Hurt!Dean, angst, Hurt!Sam. AU Set season 6, roughly around Ep 12
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N...Welcome! I hope you like my new story... on request, this one is all about the brothers, a bit of hurt!Dean and a monster instead of a demon. Set in season six warnings for spoilers for all seasons up till then, though not much in this chapter. Strong language and violence, as always, in my stories..._**

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><p>The sun glinted across the snow, turning the heavily laden branches into something beautiful, a postcard image of real live Christmas trees glinting in the early dawn's light. The dark green pines formed a rough circle with a clearing in the middle of the pine tree wind break, the natural choice for skiers camping overnight, ready to hit the slopes in the early dawn light.<p>

The tussle of tents was quiet, here and there a bird called, but nothing moved, no one spoke.

Nearby a white rabbit paused atop a small hump of white, its whiskers twitching, ears turning to catch any threat, fluffy tail held high and black eyes reflecting the sparkling diamonds of the snow covered ground. Finding no threat he turned and loped off silently into the overhung branches that touched the high banks of snow.

Minutes later there appeared a white fox, nose to the prints left by the rabbit, and he, too paused. He sniffed and turned away from the tracks, his hunt for a rabbit meal quickly forgotten.

He cautiously moved forward, sniffing the air, ears pricked for any sound as approached several bright colored tents torn and collapsed in a clearing in between the snow covered trees.

The scent from the tents was intoxicating for the fox and he continued into the ravaged campsite, stepping gingerly around and over scattered bags and camping items, until he found the bodies, the blood starting to freeze, the warmth quickly fading from the motionless humans.

He started to lap at the red stuff that was quickly congealing on the torso of a mangled person when the crackle from a shortwave made him jump to one side, frightened by the sound cutting through the winter silence.

When nothing moved, and the crackle faded in and out without giving him any cause to fear it he turned and grabbed a large chunk of flesh, then turned and ran off into the forest, the hunk of human buttocks weighing him down.

Silence returned to the small clearing, the occasion crackle from the radio the only disturbance in the crisp dawn air.

After an hour or so, the fox returned and grabbed another chunk of cooled human flesh and ran off with it, ready to bury it for a later feast. He jumped a large furrow in the snow, the blood already frozen on the sides of the deep trail, a weird twisting road leading off into the dark forest.

The crackle of the radio cut in and out, echoing gently through the still forest.

X

X

X

X

Bobby turned the page on the newspaper as he forked another hunk of French toast. Sam was also at the small table with another part of the paper, he'd already finished eating and was drinking his coffee. Dean slapped his piece of toast out of the pan onto his plate and screeched the last chair out from the table, grabbing his coffee mug as he sat.

"Anyone tell you you're a good cook? Gonna make someone a great wife one day"

Dean smiled at Bobby. "Why thanks, Roberta. What's in the news?"

"Nothin'. At least, nuthin' that affects us. Quiet day on the front of the weird."

Sam flipped his paper over as he sipped his coffee. "Huh"

Both Dean and Bobby looked up. "Huh, what? Good or bad Huh?" Dean asked him.

Sam turned the paper for them both to see. "Just, huh. Lots I missed out on while I was downstairs."

Bobby chuckled. "Yeah, probably a good thing, I'd say" as he looked at the entertainment gossip page Sam held up. "Hang on a minute" he grabbed the paper form the young man and smoothed it out in front of him.

He read quietly then got up and went to his study, carrying his coffee mug and the paper.

Sam and Dean made eye contact, and Dean shrugged. "Bobby? Something you wanna tell us?"

The boys got up and followed their surrogate father, Sam pulled up a chair and sat at the desk Bobby had plonked himself behind, while Dean moved over a pile of books to sit on the desk itself.

"What you got there, Bobby?" Sam asked.

Bobby was flicking through a book, then pulled a magazine from a pile on the floor beside the desk. "Just something I saw in that paper you had. Here" he placed in front of Sam and pointed to an article at the bottom of the page. "See, they're making a movie"

Sam read it and handed the paper to Dean. "I don't understand" he looked at Dean, then back at Bobby. "You're interested in the movie?"

Bobby gave him a sour look. "Yeah, I'm thinking of trying out for the part of the love interest. Here, look at this" he handed Sam the magazine and pointed to an article circled at the bottom of the page.

Sam read it, his brow furrowed before handing it off to his brother. Dean flipped it to the front page.

"National geographic? This is ten years old"

Bobby tossed a manillla folder on the desk and Sam opened it. It was filled with clippings, zeroxed pages and hand written notes. Sam spread them out and Dean grabbed a couple of the clippings.

"Every twenty two years there's a report like this, bodies found in the snow, torn apart and consumed. By the time the bodies are found the local wildlife has its fair share of the buffet and there's no clue as to what happened. Usually it's put down to a bear attack, that kinda thing. But I'm pretty sure bears don't run to a twenty two year time table"

Dean shuffled through the clippings he had, and he leaned over to the newspaper. "It says here that the movie is based on the incident that happened ten years ago, but that they found a new bunch of dead skiers just a couple of weeks ago." He frowned then grabbed the magazine back. "Bobby, there's only ten years between this attack and the old one"

Bobby leaned back in his chair. "My point, exactly. With all the madness that's going on lately I'm thinking whatever killed these people has broken it's cycle."

Sam pulled up a very old photo copy of an article. "This one happened in Russia, over a century ago. Thirteen people torn apart. They blamed a tiger"

Dean sat another article in front of him. "This one is nearly two hundred years old. They pinned it on a madman who disappeared from the local asylum a month before."

Bobby grabbed a book from a pile beside him and opened it to a book marked page. "There are studies going back centuries, all twenty two years apart, all in snowed in or arctic regions, all dead, torn apart." He turned the book to show the guys. A crude drawing of a large bear like monster standing on its back legs, front legs high, claws and teeth dripping.

"Yeti? Seriously?" Sam asked, his brows raised.

"You know most folk tales had a beginning in fact. Check your lore on about any legend, there'll be some supernatural creature behind it"

"But bigfoot? Yeti? They don't exist!" Dean stood and walked around to Bobby's side of the desk and read over his shoulder. "Unless, of course…"

"Unless it wasn't yeti" Sam finished for him. "You got any ideas, Bobby?"

"Grab a warm coat and a pair of snow shoes?"

Dean looked up at his brother, his face twisted with distaste. "Really? There's no one else that can take this one?"

Bobby pushed back from the desk. "Yah big pussy. You want I should lend you some long johns?"

"No" Dean pouted. "It's just that.."

"What? It's just that, what?" Sam asked him.

Dean gave him an embarrassed look from under his eyelashes, then ducked his head. "Nuthin"

Sam smiled at him. "It's never 'nothing' with you, Dean. Spill. What is it?"

Bobby grinned at Sam as he moved from the rear of the desk and headed upstairs to pack his bags. Dean walked off without answering, but Sam had seen an opening and was not going to let go.

"Dean? What's the problem? Why don't you want to do this job?"

Dean whirled back to face him. "It's nothin', all right? Just leave it alone this time."

Sam frowned. "Dude, I can help, if you just tell me.."

Dean scowled, no longer looking embarrassed. "I said leave it. Do you think you can do that, Sam, just this once?"

Sensing the growing anger and deciding this time not to poke the bear, Sam nodded at him. "It's cool. Hey, if you wanna talk, I'm here, okay?"

Dean turned to storm off. "Yeah, when I grow a vagina I'll do just that, buddy"

Sam frowned, wondering what could've made Dean react so. Deciding to leave it till later to get to the bottom of things he also walked off to make sure his bags were packed and that his coat was stowed in the car.

X

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X

Sherry-Anne was a cute, tiny blonde girl with a mass of golden curls, huge brown eyes and a soft, pouting mouth. She was well aware of her good looks, of her tight, athletic figure and how it looked in her ski suit, and wasn't above using it to her advantage.

She _did not_ want to put up her tent, and was determined that one of the guys would do it without too much fuss on her part. She bend over, displaying her firm butt at the group of guys as she huffed and struggled with her tent bag until two of the young men hurried over to help.

She flirted with them and praised their manliness and strength until her tent was erect, her camp bed made and her bags stowed away.

He best friend Holly moved closer. She was just as pretty, her bright red hair and cat-green eyes often giving her an advantage over Sherry-Anne with the guys, but she rarely used it the way the blonde girl did. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"What?" Sherry-Anne smiled at her. "Like you didn't benefit from this as well, seeing as how we're sharing a tent!"

Holly grinned back at her. "I still have to set up my camp bed, and no hunky guy moved my bags in"

"Yet" a deep voice behind her laughed. "No hunky guy has moved your bags _yet_"

She turned and grinned brightly as the very tall and very handsome Alec picked up her bags, and he smiled back at her, his gaze lingering, welcoming, then he turned and hustled her bags into the tent, then set up her camp bed. When he finished he stood her skis up in the snow.

"Anything else I can do to help, Holly?"

She shook her head, the red gossamer dancing in the wintry sunlight. "Not right now, Alec. How can I thank you?"

He grinned back. "I'll let you know!" he laughed, and moved off to join the guys.

Sherry-Anne elbowed her in the ribs. "Who's using their god gifts now?"

"Oh, girl, he offered me, I didn't dangle my thang in front of him till he couldn't fight back!"

The both laughed and linked arms to walk over to the campfire where the other eight girls and ten guys were waiting.

The coach driver had left leaving only the teenagers, four chaperones and one ski marshal. The trip had been planned for months, twenty kids from very privileged families on a four day skiing adventure. The chaperones would have their work cut out for them, but had planned ahead with the girls and boys tents quite a distance apart, and the chaperones' tents and a large campfire in between.

Night fell on the large group laughing and enjoying the well prepared barbeque, campfire crackling and guitar music accompanied by a half dozen young people singing. It was a happy and very well behaved lot, everyone excited about hitting the slopes first thing in the morning, all with a healthy appetite for fun and exercise.

The two male chaperones, Mike and Gary, stood up, Gary clapping his hands for attention.

"Okay guys, it's a little after eleven, and we all want to be up early to hit the slopes, so I want everyone off to bed now. And we'll be taking shifts to keep watch, so no sneaking into the opposite sex's tents!"

A smattering of laughter drifted to him, but everyone made their way to their respective tents without a single complaint. Gary turned to Mike and the two female chaperones, Marcie and Julia. "God, I hope the whole four days goes as smoothly as this one!"

Julia slapped him on the back. "You know that's not what's going to happen"

"Yeah" agreed Mike "But we can only dream!"

Marcie yawned and stretched. "I don't wanna take first shift, I want to get some sleep. Who's up for first? I'd like to go second, or third, if that's okay"

Mike nodded. "Happy to be first. You next, Gary, then Julia, then Marcie. All sound good?"

They agreed, and the three made their way off to supervise the kids while Mike set himself up at the campfire, a pot of coffee in the coals and a comfy camp chair and blanket along with his iPad. All good.

The first shift was quick and not too cold, he built up the fire again before Gary took his shift, and he, too passed the time with no problems. He was in the middle of feeding the fire when Julia made her way over, her hair tucked under a beanie and a heavy coat pulled tight around her.

"All clear?" she asked him, and he leant forward and planted a kiss on the tip of her nose.

"Nothing to report, captain" and he grinned brightly. "Want me to sit with you for a bit?"

Julia smiled back at him. They had been married for twelve years, no kids, and loved these camping trips with the school groups. Free holiday, chance to get away, and they got paid double time and a half for the whole time they were here…not a bad gig at all.

"Sure, hun, that'd be great. Any coffee left?"

Gary shook his head. "I'll make you up a fresh one, okay?"

She snuggled into the chair, wrapping the blanket tightly around herself. "If you don't mind, I'd like that"

"Not a problem" he called back and busied himself washing out the pot and refilling it.

A crunching sound of perhaps someone walking in the snow caught Julia's attention, and she swung the industrial sized flashlight around, trying to catch a wayward young man off to the girls side of the camp site.

She couldn't see anyone.

The noise again, and she turned and called out to her husband.

Gary nestled the coffee pot into the coals at the side of the fire and grabbed the flashlight from his wife. "Where'd you hear the noise?" He asked her.

"I'm not sure, hang around a bit, see if it happens again" she answered, and Gary pulled a camp chair up beside his wife and sat.

They sat quietly for a while, the only noise the crackling and polling from the campfire, then the coffee percolating to perfection.

Gary poured them both a cup and sat back. "Think it must've been just some snow falling from the trees, maybe?" he asked his wife.

Before she could answer there was same the noise again, this time it was accompanied with more of a swoosh, something slithering, perhaps, through the snow.

Gary shone the light at the direction of the noise but could see nothing.

"Wait here" he told Julia as he stood.

"Why don't you just call out?"

"I don't want to wake everyone. I'll just get a little closer, see if I can figure who's the horny one"

Julia pulled the blanket a little tighter. "Well, be careful, what if it's a wolf or something?"

Gary chuckled. "I don't think there are any wolves in these woods, bit I'm sure if it's not a kid, I can scare whatever it is off before I even get close to it"

He stepped around the fire, flash light shining into the darkness ahead of him.

Julia couldn't see Gary's shape almost as soon as he stepped from the campfire's bright glow, but she could follow the path of the torch quite easily. In all of the times they had chaperoned these trips, summer or winter, there was at least one young man, or girl, that tried to cross over to the opposite sexes tent site a night.

Tonight was obviously no exception, but as it was nothing out of the norm she was not worried, and sipped her hot coffee and watched the flashlight dance across the landscape, searching for the hormone crazed youngster in pursuit of a good time.

The light danced and swept over the snow covered ground, hitting the occasional tree or shrub, but not stopping on any teenager.

She heard the swishy crunch sound again, and the flashlight swung in the direction of the noise.

The light went out.

"Gary?" Julia called.

No answer.

"Gary? Are you okay?" she reached for the other flashlight, they had at least three around the campfire.

A loud crash shattered the night's peace, and she heard her husband scream the way no human being should ever have to, or be capable of.

"GARY!" she cried and rang towards her husband, grabbing a flaming branch from the fire a she ran.

Around her teenagers and her fellow chaperones spilled from their tents, confusion and fear reflecting on all of their faces.

"GARY!" Julia cried again, and Mike and the ski marshal made eye contact, then gathered up the remaining flashlights. Mike turned back to the tent and quickly retrieved his gun, kept only for emergencies such as the rare but still dangerous bear, and they ran towards the light from Julia's flash.

Before they could reach her light went out, then she creamed, long, painful, and the scream abruptly ended, cut mid breath.

Mike paused briefly but the ski marshal kept on, his light ending just as Mike caught up to him.

The teenagers in the camp flew into a state of complete panic when both of the men started screaming, the same horror and agony in their voices as the previous screams, both cutting short just as abruptly.

A thump, and something landed in the coals at the edge of the fire.

Marcie stepped forward to see wheat it was, two or three of the teenagers with her, and she, too, started to scream when she got close enough to recognize Gary's severed head.

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><p><strong><em>AN...Next chapter will be a couple of days away, maybe Monday, as I have a very busy weekend coming up. I know I always ask for reviews, but please, can I have a review? You don't have to say too much, just let me know if you like it, if I'm on the right track, that sort of thing. You can even be anonymous, if you like..._**


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N...well, it's Su nday night in Australia, got this one out a bit quicker than I thought. Next chapter in a couple of days, as usual (I hope!)_**

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><p>Bobby hauled his duffle into the trunk and slammed it shut. "We all packed?" he called to Dean.<p>

Dean shook his head. "Sam's inside watching Days of our Lives or some such shit"

Bobby frowned. It wasn't like Sam to waste time, so chances are he was pulling some last minute research.

As he entered the house Bobby could hear the television on the news channel, rounding the corner he saw Sam perched in front of it, attention on the screen.

He looked up as Bobby entered.

"There's been another one" he said.

Bobby pulled a chair up to sit next to Sam and watched the news footage of the latest slaughter.

After several minutes Dean stormed in, angry at being left to wait outside alone. One look at the faces of the other two and he quietly joined them to watch the news.

"So, three weeks apart? I'd call that escalating" he finally commented.

Bobby sighed. "They were all kids. They've found the remains of most of them, and five adults. They're blaming a rogue bear, even though there hasn't been a sighting of a bear for more than seven years"

Sam stood and stretched. "Well, what else are they going to say?"

"Supernatural being slaughters kids, hunters have been summoned" Dean snarked and turned off the television. "I think we better hit the road. Long drive ahead of us. Anyone need to tinkle?"

Sam frowned at him. "Um yeah, I do"

X

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Bobby looked over his shoulder at Sam snoring in the back seat.

"Is he always this gassy when he sleeps?"

Dean grimaced. "Sleeping, waking, walking, talking, doesn't matter what state he's in. His digestive system just runs on overdrive the whole time"

Bobby wrinkled his nose. "How do you sit in the car with him all day?"

Dean shrugged. "Crack a window?"

Bobby chuckled and focused back to the computer opened on his lap. "Well, we've got squat to go on. No DNA, hair or fiber identified from anything other than vermin or scavengers on the victims from three weeks ago. No teeth marks, claw marks or anything that can't be identified as fox or coyote"

Dean rubbed his stubble on his chin and yawned. "Got any ideas, then?"

"Yeah, I got two"

A raised brow from the driver and Bobby shrugged. "Diddly and squat"

"Great. Man, I need a break, and my baby needs gas. What say we pull over next town?"

"Sounds like a valid plan" the older hunter answered.

X

Sam woke and stretched when the car stopped moving. "Where are we?"

Bobby opened his door. "Smallville, Hicksville, something like that. Gassing up and grabbing a meal. You hungry?"

Sam looked out the rear view window at his brother refueling the Impala. "I could eat"

He stepped out of the car to stretch his long legs, and Dean whistled to gain his attention. "You wanna pay, and grab the papers? We can eat once I've filled up."

"Sure thing. You want anything else from here? Road supplies?"

Dean grinned at his brother. "You know what I like. Grab enough to keep us going till next gas stop"

"So, buy out half the store?"

"At least" Dean replied, replacing the gas pump and closing the tank. He walked back to the driver's side and leaned over the car, hands clasped, and raised a brow at Bobby.

"Where you wanna eat?"

Bobby didn't turn back to face him.

"Bobby?"

He walked around the car to the older hunter's side. "Bobby, what is it?"

The older hunter shivered and turned to Dean, his face white. "I just saw…"

"What did you see, Bobby?" Sam asked, coming to stand beside the other two.

"Ellen. I just saw Ellen Harvelle"

Sam looked at his brother, who gave him a tiny shake of his head.

"Where? Where did you see her?"

Sam moved forward to look across the road.

Bobby pointed to the bar across the road. "She just went in there"

Sam looked back at Dean. "Okay. You bring the car around and park, I'll walk over with Bobby and check it out"

Bobby nodded, still white, and headed over the road with Sam. Dean watched them enter the bar, then he started up the car and pulled into the car park at the back of the establishment. There was a rear entrance, so he locked the car up then went to the trunk. He retrieved his gun, holy water and a small bag of salt, some salt rounds and a sawn off that he stuffed into a duffle and slammed the trunk shut.

Rethinking his decision, he re opened the trunk and grabbed a silver knife, this one he tucked in the back of his waistband.

The rear door opened into a dark corridor, Dean followed this to find Sam waiting at the door at the other end, his face dark with concern.

"Where's Bobby?"

"He's at a booth. Dean, she's here. Ellen. I saw her"

Dean looked shocked. "Did she see you?"

Sam nodded, stealing a glance over his shoulder at the bar. "I bumped into her, to see what she'd say. She didn't recognize me at all"

Dean nodded and sat the bag down. He grabbed the holy water, wet his hand down and then coved his damp palm with salt.

"Where is she?"

"At the bar. I'll be right behind you" Sam told him

"Shotgun's in the bag." Dean answered and walked into the dimly lit room.

Ellen was there, true a life, sitting at the bar and drinking a beer. She was dressed funny, in not Ellen like clothes, a pink frilly blouse over three quarter bright green pants, light summery clothing that belied the freezing weather of the day.

Dean bumped into her 'accidently'. "Shirley? Shirley, is that you?"

She turned and looked at him but didn't answer.

Dean held out his hand to shake hers. "Shirley Black, right, Candy's mom? Candy, who works in the 7-11?"

The woman took his hand and shook it. "My name is not Shirley" she answered, "I do not know you"

Dean gave her one of his winning grins. "My mistake, I'm sorry"

The woman turned back to her beer.

"You do look an awful lot like, her, though. You from around here?"

She turned and looked back at him, her face expressionless. "I do not know you". He turned back to face the bar again.

Dean looked at his brother who shrugged.

He smiled at the woman again. "Can I ask you what your name is?"

She looked at him again. "I do not know you. Please leave me alone"

Dean moved away and Sam stepped up to the bar, catching the bartender's eye he ordered three beers. He turned back and pretended to see the woman for the first time. "Ellen? Ellen Harvelle?"

She looked at him, but didn't answer.

"It is you, isn't it?" he asked her.

She gave him the same blank stare she'd given Dean. "My name is not Ellen Harvelle. I do not know you"

The bartender came back with the beer and gave 'Ellen' a sideways glance then rolled his eyes. He mouthed "Crazy" to Sam, and gestured for Sam to meet him at the end of the bar.

"You know her?" he asked Sam.

The tall hunter nodded. "Um, I thought it was someone I knew, I mean, it looks like her"

The bartender, a middle aged man with a crew cut and goatee, faded Led Zeppelin t-shirt and bright red bandanna nodded. "It's probably her. She started coming in about a month ago, same time every day, drinks a beer, talks to no one, and leaves. Mad as a pickle, if you ask me"

Sam nodded. "Anyone ever come in with her?"

"No, always on her own. She takes, like, and hour and a half to drink the beer, then she goes. You guys wanna order a meal?"

Sam frowned. "Yeah, we will. Thanks"

"Sure thing, I'll send the waitress over in a jiffy"

Sam took the beers to the booth and filled the others in.

"No reaction to the salt or holy water, so not a demon, not a revenant, what are we dealing with here?" Dean asked.

Sam shrugged and Bobby frowned. "You guys never actually saw Ellen die, did you?"

Dean leaned across the table, his brow creased. "Bobby, the building blew up. There was no body. Don't you think if Ellen survived, she woulda contacted us by now?"

Bobby shook his head. "Maybe she was injured, you know, lost her memory, or something. She coulda been in a hospital all this time"

Dean nodded. "She could have. But do you really think that's what happened, knowing our history, all the stuff we go through? You really think a hunter copped a break like that?

Bobby looked thoughtful.

"I wanna closer look. I knew her better than both of you, I wanna see if it really is her, or at least, her body."

Dean sighed and made eye contact with Sam, who shrugged. "You think she might get a little suspicious, if we all keep going up to her?"

Bobby's lips thinned. "I'm not a total idjit. I'll approach her a bit different to the way you two chuckle heads did"

The waitress chose that moment to come over and take their orders. After she walked away Bobby pushed his way from the booth and walked to the men's room.

"Whadda yah think?" Dean asked his brother.

Sam stared at the woman at the bar. "Seriously? I got nothing"

"Yeah, me neither. Except that it can't be good." He tipped his beer up and drained half the bottle. "When has anything like this ever turned out to be a good thing?"

Sam gave him a sad smile. "When you came back from hell? When I did?"

Dean closed his eyes. "I don't think an angel resurrected Ellen, then took her memory away"

"Yeah. You're right" Sam agreed. He tapped Dean on the hand to get him to open his eyes, and pointed to the bar.

Bobby walked up to the bar, right next to 'Ellen' and sat down. He ordered from the bartender and turned to the woman and started talking to her.

The conversation lasted longer than had with the brothers, and after a few moments Bobby picked up three beers from the bar and walked back to the booth.

"So, what's the verdict?" Sam asked.

Bobby sat, his face pale. "Looks like evil, smells like evil, I'd say it's evil. It looks a lot like Ellen…just..I dunno, something's different. It's not her. I don't know if it's even human"

Dean sat back, his face thoughtful. "We'll follow it, then. See where it goes, what it's up to. There has to be a reason it comes here every day. I'm thinking it's not the beer"

Sam nodded. "What the hell is it? What is it doing here… Anyone else think it's strange that we just happen to gas up right where this thing is?"

The waitress came over with their meals on a tray. She flirted quite openly with Dean, but he barley glanced at her, thanking her for the plate and then turning away.

Sam noticed but said nothing.

They all ate in silence, taking surreptitious glances at the bar every so often. They ate quickly and finished before the woman at the bar.

The 'Ellen' thing sipped her beer, never turning or moving, talking to no one.

Sam grabbed the duffle from the floor and checked the contents.

"I'll follow Ellen-thing, you guys bring the car up"

Dean shook his head. "This is so jacked. We come out here chasing one monster, and run into another one. I mean, what the hell?"

Bobby wiped his mouth on the brightly colored napkin. "What's new? The way things are at the moment, with mother serving us up new and interesting creatures, I'm not surprised we ran into something else"

Dean lifted his cell phone and snapped a picture of the Ellen creature, but frowned when he looked at it. He lifted his phone and took another, then showed it to Sam.

"What? That looks nothing like Ellen"

Sam pulled out his phone and also snapped a picture, and showed it to his fellow hunters. The all looked confused as the image showed a woman who physically, vaguely resembled Ellen's physique, but looked nothing like her.

The waitress came to clear the table. "Um, miss?" Bobby asked her. "Without seeming too strange, can you describe the woman sitting at the bar?"

She smiled at them, her eyelids fluttering at Dean. "You mean the lady with red hair? She's got blue eyes, freckles, kinda pale. She really looks a lot like my Aunt Cora. I mean, _exactly_ like my Aunt Cora. The first time she came in here I swore it was her. But my Aunt Cora died, like, over five years ago."

Bobby frowned. "Thanks, miss." He threw a few crumpled notes on the tray.

She cleared the table and moved off, leaving the hunters more confused than before.

"So, we're seeing someone familiar to us that died. So is our waitress" Dean shifted in his seat, brain on overdrive. "What's the bet if I asked the bartender to describe her I'd get a perfect description of his dead niece or grandma?"

Bobby nodded. "We got something strange goin' on here. Darned if I can figure it out"

The woman finished her beer and stood, Sam grabbed the bag and pocketed his cell. Dean slipped him the silver knife which he tucked into his jeans.

"Be careful" Dean commanded.

"Always" Sam answered.

"I mean it, Sam"

"I'll go with him" Bobby offered.

"Yeah. That works for me. Thanks" Dean grabbed his keys. Sam rolled his eyes.

"Don't look at me like that, Sam, we've hunted together before"

Sam shook his head. "I don't need a babysitter, Bobby"

"Never said yah did. Thing is" Bobby said as he slid out of the booth "We don't know what this thing is, or what it needs to take it down. Two heads are better than one, two hunters even more so"

Sam shrugged. "Fine. She's leaving. We'd better go"

The two headed out after the Ellen thing and Dean turned to leave the way he'd come. He hadn't gotten two steps down the darkish corridor when something slammed him on the back of the head, and everything went black

X

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X

Holly shivered and pulled the torn sleeping bag tighter around Sherry-Anne and herself, the blonde girl looked across at her, ice crystals in her lashes from the tears she had barely finished shedding.

Holly gave her what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "We'll get out of here. We'll be all right, I know we will. We just gotta keep warm. Okay? Just keep close to me, and we'll get through this together."

Sherry-Anne tried to smile back, but it didn't work. Tears formed in her eyes and her tiny body started to shake with her sobbing. Holly pulled her closer and wrapped her arms around her friend.

"Sshh" she soothed, rocking back and forth.

She tried to sound comforting and brave.

She tried really hard.

But it wasn't easy.

Being stuck in this weird cave, freezing, strange moss on the roof glowing, not knowing exactly where they were or even how they got here….or if anyone else survived.

Before she got knocked out she had seen nearly everyone torn apart.

Surely she and Sherry-Anne couldn't be the only ones that survived.

Could they?

And if they were, why were they alive?

What did that thing want with them?

What was it saving them for?

Oh no.

She just had the worst thought.

What if it was saving them for later….like…like….

Food.

She couldn't help it, she could pretend no longer.

Almost in rhythm with her best friend, she started to sob as well.

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><p><strong><em>AN...you know what I want...please, can you leave a review? Doesn't cost you anything, and it means so much to me..._**


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N... um..yeah, I can't think of anything clever to say...**_

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><p>Sam looked both ways. "Where did she go?"<p>

Bobby shook his head. "We were right behind her. She couldn't have gotten far." He turned to watch a few people pass, some looking at him curiously. "She could also be anyone of these people on the street."

"Good point" Sam agreed. "So what do we do now?"

Bobby pulled out his cell and hit speed dial. "Let's meet up with your brother and find a room. We can go over strategies there"

He frowned. "I got no answer."

Sam frowned. "He should've been here by now. He was only bringing the car around."

Bobby pulled the bar door open. "I'll go through, you go around. Cover all our bases"

Sam rang around the building to the car park, where he met Bobby standing at the car.

"Bobby?"

Bobby looked grim. "Come back in the corridor. There's something.." He pulled the door and entered, Sam hot on his heels.

Bobby pointed to a dark stain on the carpet. Sam bent and touched it, bringing his fingers up for both to see. "It's blood. And it's fresh" He turned his soulful eyes to Bobby.

"There's no other doors in this corridor. He was either taken back in the bar, or taken outside." They both turned to the back door. There, very small, was also a smudge of blood, also fresh.

They both headed back out, but the trail was cold, no more blood, nothing. Sam turned and looked back at the door. "There's a security camera."

Bobby stood next to him. "Hopefully it's turned on. Let's go talk to our friendly barman."

Sam frowned. "You go, I'll look around out here"

"Okay. Watch your back"

Sam turned and checked up and down the street, becoming more frantic as he could find no clues. He checked back at the bar, the rear of the building had several doors, all of which seemed to be locked.

Except one.

Shoving it open he found his brother sprawled in a heap with trash bags and crates of empty bottles, unconscious and bleeding from a gash on the back of his head.

Just as Sam started to pull his brother up from the rubbish to check him further Bobby appeared at the door. "Security tape wasn't recording, but I saw the open door" he told Sam.

Dean groaned and moved at Sam's touch. "Dean?" Sam sat him up "Dean? Can you open your eyes?"

The injured hunter frowned and pushed his brother's probing hands away.

"What the fuck?" he croaked and opened his eyes. "Anyone get the number of that bus?"

Bobby leant forward and he and Sam helped Dean to his feet. "Son, did you see anything? Did you see who hit you?"

Dean pushed the supporting hands away, but swayed so badly Sam grabbed him again.

"Nothin'" he moaned. "Barely got two steps when something slammed me in the head"

"So, they came in behind you?"

Dean looked up at Sam. "No, no they didn't. The door didn't open. They couldn't have come from behind"

Bobby scratched his beard. "But there aint any other doors in that corridor. Where'd they come from?"

Sam looked at the senior hunter, his brow furrowed. "Good question. Help Dean to the car, I'll go back and check it out"

"No" Dean pushed away from the supporting hand and stood by himself, he swayed a little but then stood steady. "Don't go in there alone. We don't know what's in there, and I'd say we've been made"

"Can you even walk?" Bobby asked him.

Dean gave him a frown. "I can out walk you!"

Sam grabbed the handle of the rear door and let out a cry as it opened inwards, the sudden unexpected action causing a startled reaction he was unable to control. Bobby snorted as the bartender's cheery face greeted them.

"Oh, I see you found your friend!" he moved back to let them enter. "I was getting worried, and all, when no one said anything"

Bobby held the door as Dean walked through. "Is there any way anyone can get into this corridor other than these two doors?"

The bartender pointed to the roof. "Got a trap door up there. You thinking something hinkey happened?"

Dean moved passed the barman. "Something_ hinkey_ definitely happened. Where does the trap door lead to?"

"Why, to our evil lair, of course!"

X

X

X

X

Sherry-Anne shook Holly to wake her up. "What are we going to do?"

Holly rubbed her ice encrusted eyelashes and shrugged. "I don't know" She let out a shuddering sigh. "But it doesn't look like anyone's coming any time soon"

Sherry-Anne snuggled in closer. "Yeah, I think you're right. Should we try to find our way out?"

Holly felt tears start to well, but bit her lip to stop them and nodded.

"Okay. Okay" Sherry-Anne took a deep breath. "We can do this, right? You and me?"

Holly looked at her friend and smiled. "I thought I was the brave one"

"You are" Sherry-Anne squeezed her tighter. "Where do you think this is coming from? I'm stealing it from you!"

"We need to stay warm. Let's tear this sleeping bag in half; we can wrap ourselves in it. Then…I don't know. Which way do you think we should go?"

The blonde girl scrunched her pretty face, then smiled, an idea lighting her features. She licked her finger and held it up. "There's a breeze coming from that way, so I think that's the way we should go"

Holly stood and shook out the bedraggled sleeping bag, then ripped the last piece of join to give her two separate blankets. "Look at you! Cheerleader becomes a boy scout!"

Sherry-Anne ducked her head. "I'm not just a pretty face, you know"

"Yeah, your rack is incredible!"

They both laughed, but it was short lived, the attempt at lifting their spirits a mostly futile one.

They wrapped themselves as tightly as they could in the torn sleeping bag and carefully made their way along the narrow cavern, the dim glow from the phosphorescent moss lighting their way.

They stumbled a few hundred yards, the moss thinner here and there making traversing the rocky floor difficult.

Holly caught her foot on something and fell heavily, crashing into the sharp rocks of the floor with a cry.

Sherry-Anne was quick to turn and help her, and as she dragged her back she gasped in fear and surprise.

"What is it?" squealed Holly "What did I trip over?"

She turned her head to follow the direction of Sherry-Anne's trembling, pointed finger, and saw a booted leg. She scrambled backwards, away from it, when the owner of the leg let out a groan.

The girls exchanged frightened glances. They could only see the boot and the leg of dark ski pants, the rest was in shadow.

"H… Hello?" Holly stammered. "Are you okay"

A groan and an intake of breath. Sherry-Anne turned to the cave wall and scraped a handful of moss together, then leaned forward with her little barley glowing light.

The greenish glow revealed another leg, then a torso, two arms, and a young male face covered with blood. He was leaning against another body, this one was unmoving.

"Alec?" whispered Holly, and the young man struggled to sit. She leaned forward to help him, and her had brushed to body he was leaning on.

She felt that body move and turned to Sherry-Anne. "There's someone behind him, and they're alive too!"

Both girls gently lifted and pulled both boys till they had them sitting, they were in rough shape, covered in blood, scrapes and bruises, near freezing and struggling to stay conscious.

"Alec" Holly touched his face, trying to clear some of the blood. "Alec, I need to you to focus, okay? You're nearly frozen to death, you need to wake up"

The boy rolled his eyes towards her voice, then closed them and shook his head, trying to focus. "Yeah" He croaked "Yeah, okay, I understand"

Holly looked over at Sherry-Anne. The boy she was tending to..what was his name? Holly remembered his face but didn't think she'd had a lot to do with him.

He was having a little more trouble waking up so Sherry wrapped her part of the sleeping bag around him.

"What's his name?" Holly asked her.

"Troy. It's Troy, isn't it?"

Holly nodded. "Yes, I remember now. See if you can slap his face or something. If he doesn't wake up he'll die. We all need to get up, and get moving"

Sherry-Anne shook the boy, and slapped his face. "Troy! Troy, can you hear me?"

The boy moaned but his head flopped to one side.

"Troy!" she shook him hard. "You gotta wake up! Listen to me, if you don't wake up, you'll die!"

He pushed her hand away. "Yes, that's good, fight me back! Do you hear me?" She shook him harder and this time his eyes cracked open a little.

Holly let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding. "See if you can get him to stand. I'm thinking we've got to get moving, and now"

Alec held her arm. "If you help me, I want to try to stand"

Shakily she helped him to his feet, his knees wobbled, but finally he stood. He swayed and grabbed the red head's shoulder. "I think I'm gonna be sick"

Holly rubbed his back. "Just breathe, okay? Stand still for a moment and breathe, slowly. You'll be all right"

He nodded, but kept his head down. Holly turned as a grunt came from the other two, and she watched tiny Sherry-Anne practically lift Troy to his feet on her sheer will alone.

Both boys stood and just concentrated on remaining upright for a few minutes, then Holly realized her charge was shaking with silent sobs.

"Alec, are you crying?"

He tipped his tear and blood stained face to her. "Did you see that thing? It tore everyone up…everyone! It ripped them….it ripped them apart!"

Troy gasped, his memory flooding back. "Oh my god, I saw it, and I was like…Oh my god…" He grabbed the blonde girl with both hands. "What was it, Shelly? Did it bring us here? Do you know what's happening?"

She shrugged him off. "It's Sherry-Anne, and yes, I saw it, we all did."

Alec's eyes widened in horror. "It _brought_ us here. Why? Is it saving us for later, to like, eat us or something?"

"Oh My God!" Troy's voice was rising with his panic level. Sherry-Anne shook him again.

"You_ have _to calm down! We need to stay calm, and maybe quiet, so we can all make it out of here. Okay? Understand me?"

Troy nodded, his lips turned down and face grim.

"All right then" Holly took a deep breath. "Let's get out of here then."

Alec grabbed her hand in a vice like grip. "How do you know which way to go?"

"We don't" Sherry-Anne replied, grabbing both Alec's hand and Troy's. "We're guessing, but it's been right so far. I mean, we found you two, didn't we?"

She nodded at Holly who turned and moved off down the long passage, the dim glow barley lighting their way. They kept hold on each other's hands, the grasp proving both stability and comfort, and before long they had moved quite some distance.

They didn't come across anyone else, though a few times they stumbled over a piece of clothing or camping equipment that must have been carried in from their camping site. They found enough jackets, pieces of sleeping bags and blankets to rug themselves up a bit more, the temperature in the cave was freezing, they only imagined how cold the surface would be once they found their way out.

The dark passage they were following grew darker, the patches of glowing moss were thinner and smaller until they were stumbling in near total darkness, Holly with one hand behind her holding on to Alec, the other stretched out in front to feel her way.

She could feel rather than see the cave widen, the air became a little colder, and their footsteps echoed back to them. She stopped suddenly causing her three followers to crash into her, Troy letting out a startled squeal from the rear.

"What is it?" Alec asked her in a hushed voice.

Holly shook her head before she realized no one could see her. "I don't know…its just…"

"Just what?" Sherry-Anne asked.

"Um..something…I don't know.." she waited, her ears pricked, the hairs on the back of her neck standing straight.

"You hear that?" She whispered back to her companions. No one spoke, but the grips on their hands became tighter.

There it was a gain…a sort of rustling, a slithering sound. Troy started to take quick shallow breaths, panic rolling off him in waves. "It's back, isn't it? Oh my god, we're gonna die"

"Ssshhhh" hissed Holly. "It's coming closer"

She let out a scream as something grabbed her foot, involuntarily she both kicked out and lunged backwards sending herself and her companions into a flailing heap on the ground. A muffled cry brought her head up, and when the cry turned to sobs she shushed her companions again.

"Hello? Is someone there?" Holly called out in a frightened voice.

The sobs continued.

"Do you think it's someone from or camp?" whispered Alec.

"Well, we have to find out" Sherry-Anne answered and let go their hands. She crawled forward towards the sound.

"Hello? I'm Sherry-Anne, from the school camp. Are you from there too?" she kept forward, following the sobs. "I'm gonna try and reach you, we can help each other, okay?" she felt an arm, then hand reached up and grabbed her jacket.

"It's okay, it's okay" soothed Holly coming up beside her. She reached forward and felt the torso, then the face of the person. "Can you tell me your name?"

"I've got an arm here" whispered Sherry-Anne. "I'm not sure about anything else"

The person just sobbed. She could feel sticky hair, short and by the smell the stickiness was blood.

Holly felt around their body. "Your arm. Your right arm….what happened?" she whispered when she came to a bloody stump at the elbow joint, there was fabric wrapped around it to form a crude bandage.

The person just sobbed .

"They've got two broken legs" sherry-Anne whispered, she was also doing her best to examine the hapless victim. "And it's a guy"

"How can we get them out? One arm and two broken legs?" Troy hissed as the guys came closer to join them.

"He's right" Alec agreed. "What if that thing comes back? He'll just slow us down"

Holly felt anger heating her face. "What if it was you, would you want to be left here?" she scolded. "For god's sake, _you two_ should be the brave ones, not two puny cheerleaders!"

The sobbing quieted and laid his head on Sherry-Anne's knee. "We have to figure out a way to take him with us."

Holly felt around a bit more. "He's wearing ski over-alls. Can you guys grab each strap on his shoulders and drag him along behind you?"

Silence from the guys.

"C'mon, you're both footballers. It's not like you can't do it"

She heard a deep sigh. "You're right" Alec answered.

"Dude! He'll so slow us down!" complained Troy.

"They're right, dude. He's just one guy, and what if it was you, or me? Would you just leave _me_ here, for that thing to eat?"

Troy shuffled around to the injured boy and grabbed a shoulder strap. Alec could feel what he was doing and grabbed the other strap, and reached out to find Holly. "You girls take our free hands and guide us, okay?"

"Thanks. Really. I know you're scared and all, but we _all_ need to get out of here. _Together_" Sherry-Anne told him, and she reached for Troy's hand.

The injured boy started his soft sobbing again as they tried to make their way through the dark chamber. They seemed to be managing okay for a little while, they finally found their way through to the other side of the vast cavern to a smaller tunnel, the girls side by side leading the boys, who were dragging their injured companion.

The glowing moss was apparent in this tunnel, while not quite as bright as the first cave, it was enough to for them to make their way without crashing into the walls. They walked for what seemed like an hour, the light sometimes dimmer, sometimes brighter, when the injured boy started to scream.

They all stopped and turned to him.

"It's here! It's coming!" he screamed.

That was all they needed, they took off at breakneck speed, the girls still holding the free hands of the boys, the injured boy dragging behind, screaming the whole time.

Suddenly the Alec and Troy were jerked off their feet, thrown backwards as something grabbed the fallen boy and dragged him away from them.

His screams became primal, guttural, pain and fear splitting the darkness like a knife.

Alec scrambled to his feet and he pulled Troy up as soon as he was vertical. They moved backwards as they heard the boy's screams fade off to the distance, then when they were suddenly cut short the turned and ran, grabbing the hands of the girls as they fled.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN...I know, two cliffies...gotta love a cliff hanger! Oh, you dont? Let me know, with a review!**_

_**(I love them, though, so I'll always have them...)**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N...It's Monday here, in Australia, so back to writing! Thank goodness it's busy here...**_

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><p>"Just joking!" the bartender giggled. "It's like an extra fire escape entry thingy for the upstairs" he looked at the three faces staring blankly at him. "Look at you guys, it's like you believed me, or something!"<p>

Sam turned to face the other two. "Can I kill him?" he whispered. Bobby pushed him back to face the barman.

"Ted…your name's Ted, right?" Bobby asked him. "Do you mind if we have a look? Someone clocked my friend here, and up is the only way they coulda gone"

Ted nodded vigorously. "Gosh, yes, by all means! I don't want to think of some low life lurking around upstairs while I'm here alone after work. I know I look big and tough and all, but that's just a face I wear in the bar!"

Sam looked up. "How do we get in?"

Ted turned and flicked on a switch that lit up the dim passage. "You can probably just reach up and grab the side, there's a recessed pull down, see?"

Sam easily touched the trap door without straining.

"Geez, you're really tall, aren't you?" Ted purred, and fluttered his eyelashes at the young hunter.

Sam pulled the flap and the trap door opened, then a pull down ladder slowly unfolded. He touched it then showed his hand to Bobby and Dean.

"That's my blood" Dean growled.

"Speaking of which, handsome, you'd better come with me while I patch up that owie on the back of your head. You're bleeding everywhere."

"I'll be fine" Dean's eyes widened and Bobby smirked at the fear reflected in them.

"Just go with the nice bartender and let him patch you up. You know where we'll be"

"But.." Dean tried to protest, but Sam just pushed him out of the way.

"Go on, handsome, Ted will kiss your boo boo better"

Dean pouted. "You're a …boo boo" he muttered, but followed Ted back into the bar.

Sam waited until the door to the bar shut before he pulled his gun out of the back his jeans and a flashlight from his jacket pocket. He turned to check with Bobby and noted the senior hunter stood there similarly prepared.

Sam climbed the rickety ladder, flashlight held high. He paused at the entrance and looked around before climbing through, then bent to give Bobby the all clear.

Standing to his full height the pull string for the light bumped his shoulder, and he gave it a quick tug and several banks of fluorescent lights clicked and blinked, flooding the room with bright light.

Bobby heaved himself up and turned to take in his surroundings. There were storage boxes, crates, tables, chairs, all the kinds of things you'd expect a bar to have in its spare room.

Except for the alter at one side.

He glanced at Bobby who nodded, they'd check that later.

Sam had his gun straight out, his knees bent, hunters' stance, as he searched around the piles of boxes and crates, Bobby turned and closed the trap door to block the exit.

Something made a noise to one side, Bobby and Sam moved as one but came from different directions, circling to trap whatever it was.

Sam reached into the back waistband of his pants and pulled out a large silver knife. They didn't know what they were dealing with, so he felt it best to have all bases covered.

He crept forward, his large frame belying his gracefulness as he moved with little or no sound until he rounded upon the spot they'd heard the noise.

Bobby arrived at the same time.

Nothing.

Bobby tipped his head towards a large box, wardrobe sized, that stood against the wall between the two hunters. The opening flap, while pulled over, moved just a little, as if someone had hidden inside.

Sam slowly leaned forward and pulled the flap open with his knife.

Also nothing.

He gave Bobby a frustrated look, then realised he could feel air moving out of the box.

He pulled the box open and pushed at the back, and the flaps opened to reveal a doorway into another room.

A very dark room.

Both he and Bobby grabbed their lights from respective pockets and the flicked them on, Sam took point. He had to duck his head to fit through the box, torch and gun in front of him, but as he was halfway through the door way something, or someone, grabbed his hands and threw him against the wall with such force he saw stars.

He heard Bobby's gun and saw the flashes as it discharged, and heard a muffled cry and a thump as something fell.

The lights came on and Bobby was right there, pulling him to his feet and checking he was okay.

His head spun and he leaned back against the wall, taking steady breaths until he could focus again. Bobby was not looking at him, instead he was still staring straight ahead, gun ready, as if the fight wasn't over.

Sam stood upright, his head spun a little but his vision cleared. There was a body on the floor, but it was anything but human.

Sam only glanced quickly at it as he moved to Bobby's side. "More than one?"

"Dunno" he replied "Not gonna take chances. Silver bullets did the trick, though."

Sam looked back at the dead creature and notice it was already starting to decompose.

"Was it the silver, or just the fact that you shot it?"

Bobby gave him an incredulous look. "Don't know. Don't care. Thing's dead"

Sam spun as something moved off to one side, and fired as a figure lunged at him. It faltered briefly but kept coming. "Damn it Bobby, it looks like Ellen"

Bobby stepped forward and put a bullet through its brain.

It dropped heavily. "I'd say it was the silver" came the droll reply.

Sam bent to look at it as it dissolved into a sticky black gooey substance.

"Huh"

Bobby frowned. "Huh? Spit it out, boy, huh what?"

Sam looked up at Bobby. "Huh, it smells like liquorice"

Bobby nodded. "Huh"

Sam stood and raised his brows. "Your turn to spit it out"

"I think I know what these things are. Maybe. I remember reading something a long time ago" he turned away "Where was the alter?"

"Other room. Let's make sure there's no more of those things first"

Bobby tilted his head a little. "Well of course, whatcha think I am, an idjit?"

The checked both rooms, and Sam led Bobby back to the small table, it was draped with a black velvet cloth, symbols covering it that looked like they were painted in a white, thick goo, various herbs, pieces of bones, a dead kitten and a handful of small seeds framed a large written summoning spell.

Bobby picked the spell up. "This is written in, I dunno, Polish? Maybe Ukrainian? I can't read it."

Sam picked up the seeds and sniffed them, then offered them to Bobby to test the scent. "I'd day aniseed, dill and liquorice root essence" the older hunter guessed. "And from what I can make out from here, it looks like I was right. See, here? It's the types of demons summoned"

Sam frowned at the elaborate scrawling. "Taggi?"

"It's pronounced with a soft _g,_ like a_ j_. '_Tajji_'."

Sam nodded as the trap door behind them slammed open and Dean's head popped through, his brow a brewing storm.

"You look grumpy" commented Sam.

"Don't poke the bear" Bobby warned him under his breath and Sam smiled at the analogy.

Dean pulled his muscular frame through the trap door. "So what have you guys been up to?" he asked, trying to wipe the annoyance from his face. Sam stifled a giggle as Dean passed him to walk up to the alter, three bright colored flower printed band-aids on the back of his neck.

Bobby noticed them and raised his eyebrows but didn't comment.

"Taggi" Bobby told him. "Summoned here with this spell" he handed the parchment to Dean.

Dean frowned at it. "This is Lithuanian, isn't it?"

Sam looked impressed and Bobby scowled. "How do you know that?"

Dean looked up and smirked at their expressions.

"Ted" he answered. "Ted's Lithuanian. Says the only person that comes up here apart from bar staff when they need some of this shit, is his grandma."

"Quite a bit of bonding session there, fella" Bobby turned red in the face trying not to laugh.

Dean glared at him. "He didn't shut up! I mean, I practically heard his whole life story. Meant I didn't have to talk, though"

Sam grinned at his brother who shot him a '_don't you dare'_ look, then he took the spell parchment back and frowned as he looked at it and pointed to the alter.

"This is a pretty serious alter" he poked the dead kitten with his knife. "Why would someone's grandma do this? Was there trouble, something she wasn't happy with?"

Bobby shook his head. "From what I remember, these things were protection demons. They could be pretty mean, but only if the summoner was put in harm's way. Till then, they just bided their time."

"Why the beer?" Sam asked.

A shrug from Bobby. "Beat's me. Maybe it's not about the beer. Maybe that was just a cover to hang out in the bar"

Dean picked up the edges of the alter cloth and pulled them together, forming a swag out of the various items, all wrapped now in a bundle of black velvet. "Well, why don't we go ask Ted?"

X

The bar was filling up and Ted had been joined by three young female bar tenders, all dressed in tight black t-shirts printed with the bar logo. He looked up as the three hunters entered and tapped one of the girls on the shoulder, bending to talk into her ear. She nodded and he took the guys to a booth.

"I head the gunshots" he whispered as soon as they were all seated. "Did you shoot the bad guy?"

Dean leaned forward. "Rats" he said, showing the swag. "My brother got rid of a couple of large rats"

Ted screwed up his face in horror. "Oh my God! My Moochie was up there all the time, they could have attacked her!"

"Um, your Moochie?" questioned Sam.

"Mociute. It means grandmother. You know, my grandma, we call her Moochie"

Bobby leaned forward, his elbows on the table. "Where is your _'Moochie'_ now?"

Ted smiled a downturned, sad smile. 'We had to put her in a home. She was, well" he waved his hand, a tear forming in his eye "You know, old people sometime regress. She thought she was back in the war, and the upstairs was where she was going to hide from the Nazis. She even told me she did a special spell to protect us from any evil SS officers!" he sighed, the tear escaping down his cheek.

"Love her to bits, you know? But she just got too much to take. She was scaring the customers. If anyone came in wearing any kind of uniform she'd spit at their feet and curse them in her language. Got to the point where she'd hide upstairs for days, I'd have to take her food and water."

"How long ago did she go to the home?" Sam asked gently, his faced a warm glow of sympathy.

"Only a month ago. I go see her every other night. So sad. She tells me she left me two spirits to protect me, to kill any Nazi that comes in the bar. I just take her some chocolate and pat her hand. Not much else I can do, right?"

Dean gave him a forced smile. "You do what you can" he offered, not sure what else to say.

Ted touched the hunter's hand. "Oh, thank you! That means so much!"

Dean jerked his hand back, horror on his face. "Um, yeah, you're welcome, I guess."

Ted turned to Bobby. "Did you find the low life that hit Dean on the back of the head?"

"Yeah. Gave him a good talking to and he ran off. He won't be back"

"Are you sure?"

Sam nodded, joining in. "I showed him my gun and said I'd be patrolling regularly. I think he's too scared to come back"

"That's fantastic! Thank you all so much! How can I ever thank you? I know, it's dinner time, now, let me get you a good meal before you hit the road. On the house, okay?" he stood and looked to the bar. "Heidi, three beers for the gentlemen!" he turned back to the hunters. "Also on the house, of course!"

"Thanks Ted, that'd be great"

"Oh, let me take that, um, bundle. "I'll throw it in the bar waste bin. Ech!"

They waited until the bartender left and then relaxed a little, Dean leaned back and Sam stretched his long legs as best as he could under the table.

"So crazy grandma summons the Taggi to keep away Nazis. Maybe we shouldn't have ganked them" Dean accepted the cold beer from the pretty barmaid.

"See many Nazis walking around town, there, Dean?" laughed Bobby.

Dean made a face, but it was all in good humor. "Bout the easiest hunt we've had in, well, ever!" He reached up to the back of his head and pulled off the bandaids. "Except for me getting clocked, I think that all went well"

Sam raised his glass. "To us, and an easy hunt ahead of us"

Bobby frowned. "You jinxing us, boy?"

Sam shook his head. "No, I'm hoping, that's all"

X

They ate quietly and left the bar with Ted's gratitude and awkward hugs, walking through the infamous corridor to the parking lot outside.

Dean tossed the keys to Sam, who lifted his brows in query.

"Got a headache. You drive for a while, I'll get some shut eye in the back"

Sam nodded, and before much longer they were back on the road.

Every now and then he glanced in the rear view to check out his brother on the back seat, but Dean seemed fine, snoring away with his head propped on a rolled up jacket.

Bobby noticed the concern. "It's probably just the knock on the head. He'll sleep it off and be fine"

Sam's lips thinned. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure you're right"

X

X

X

X

Sherry-Anne leaned against the cavern wall, gasping for breath, the icy air making breathing difficult. Holly squatting in front of her, leaning her shoulders on Sherry-Anne's knees.

The guys were standing within arm's reach, no one wanting to be too far apart, all breathing heavy, sucking in lung fulls of frigid air, heads spinning, thoughts racing, prickly sweat breaking out in their armpits and lower backs.

After a few moments Holly stirred and pointed ahead, the soft glow from the moss making her movements seem surreal. "Is that a brighter light ahead?" she whispered. In the silence of the caves, the only other sound the now calming breathing it sounded like a shout.

Troy stood straight. "I think it is. Do you think it could be a way out?"

Sherry Anne pushed herself from the wall, holly stood with her. "I don't know. All I do know, is that thing is behind us, so I'm not gong back that way."

"I agree" Alec stepped in front of her. "Let's see what it is. It's gotta be better than waiting here till that monster picks us off one by one"

Troy sucked in a panicky breath, but nodded in agreement. Without a further word they all joined hands again and moved forward.

They walked quietly, breaths hushed, feet stepping carefully.

This icy silence closed in around them, but they found it oddly comforting. Better the silence than the hot breath of the creature stalking them.

After a few hundred meters, a distance covered with slow caution, the light had indeed grown brighter, they could now see clearly, both each other and the cave.

Alec stopped abruptly, and even though everyone had been walking slowly they all, one by one, bumped into the back of the other.

"What is it?" hissed Holly.

Alec didn't answer.

Holly pushed around him to see what he was looking at and also stopped dead in her tracks.

The other two pushed their heads as best as they could to catch a glimpse of what had silenced the teenagers in front.

Nobody spoke.

Nobody breathed.

Finally, with a rush of released breath he didn't even realise he was holding, Troy squeaked out a dismayed cry.

"Oh God…we are so fucked…"

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><p><em><strong>AN...a couple of days, at least, til next chapter...and you know what I'm gonna ask for...please, can you leave a review?**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N...managed another chapter as our phones went down for four hours...**_

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><p>Sam drove for twelve hours, stopping once only for gas, Dean sleeping the whole time. By the time morning was well and truly broken and he was ready for another gas stop even Bobby had become worried. It wasn't like Dean to sleep this long, even sleeping off a bender he'd be up after six hours, tops.<p>

Sam pulled into a gas station/diner/repair shop and turned off the car. Dean hadn't stirred at all, the snoring had quietened to a soft snuffle hours ago, after Bobby had settled the sleeping hunter's head into a more comfortable position.

He hadn't said a word about Dean not waking up, but he'd been concerned.

Sam could tell by the rough scrape through the beard and the tug of the cap, but neither one had said anything.

This time Sam turned to Bobby. "If we can't wake him up I'm taking him straight to the E.R."

Bobby nodded. "I'll drive"

The older hunter turned, reaching over the seat and grabbed Dean's arm.

"Wakey wakey, sunshine" he called, shaking the sleeping man gently.

Dean groaned, then rubbed his eyes. "Can't you let a guy have a bit of a sleep?" he moaned.

Sam turned to him. "Dean, you've been unconscious for over twelve hours"

Dean looked surprised. "Bull shit. I never sleep that long"

Sam cranked open the door and walked to the back of the car to gas up. Bobby leaned on the seat, still twisted around to face the younger man.

"Boy, we were about to take you to emergency for concussion. Thought you'd coma'd on us"

Dean swung upright, but he grabbed the seat like he was about to fall off, his face had turned white and was coated in a greasy sheen of sweat.

"Maybe I am a little concussed" he held the back of his hand to his mouth as he near turned green.

"Dean?" Bobby reached a hand out to touch the shaking head.

Dean looked up, his eyes panicked.

"Dean?" Bobby spoke softly.

Suddenly Dean near ripped the door off it's hinges, hung his head out and vomited all over the ground.

He took a breath and threw up again.

Bobby opened his door and carefully stepped out to avoid the vomit, he looked over and Sam had already dived into the other side of the car to hold his brother's shoulders as he yarked all over the place.

Sam made eye contact with the older hunter and his silent request was understood. Bobby grabbed a handful of paper towels from the rest room and hurried back, Sam had handed Dean a bottle of water to rinse his mouth out.

Dean sipped shakily, his face still white, bright red blotches of color on both cheeks standing out in stark contrast.

He offered the other two hunters a frail smile. "Musta been concussed after all" he murmured, and rinsed his mouth, spitting it out onto the gas station's hard top.

"You gonna barf again?" Sam asked him.

Dean shook his head, then that same panicked look returned as he leaned out of the car door again, but this time he only needed a few deep breaths.

He slumped back against the seat again. "I hate throwing up"

Bobby tapped the top of the car. "Sam, go pay for the gas, I'll grab a bucket of water and try to tidy this mess a bit. Dean?" The pale man looked up at him, his eyes rimmed red. "Just stay there and try to keep the rest of yer cookies inside"

Dean gave him a very weak smile and waved him away.

Sam gave him a slap on the chest. "You good?"

"Peachy" he croaked and took another sip of the water. Sam hovered to see if it stayed down, and when he was satisfied he left to pay for the fuel.

Dean breathed deep, then released the air slowly. He was feeling much better.

He couldn't remember the last time a knock on the head had given him grief. Other than a whammy of a headache. He usually just got up, shook it off, and carried on.

This time, he must've got hit in a weak spot. Maybe his skull was just_ over_ getting cracked so many times.

He tried a bigger mouthful of water, and this time had no trouble keeping it down. He dabbed his face again with a paper towel, and sat a little straighter. Definitely feeling better.

Maybe the barfing was more to do with Ted's cooking than the clock on the head. Maybe his cast iron stomach didn't like the salmonella dished up to him, and that's why he barfed.

Maybe it was the combination of the head trauma and an off dinner.

Either way, he felt much brighter, and when Bobby and Sam got back in the car he flashed them a bright grin. "So, we ready to eat?"

Sam rolled his eyes. "You don't want to take it easy for a bit? Maybe we'll get a motel room and you can shower and rest up for an hour or so"

Bobby turned to him and wrinkled his nose. "You stink. We're getting a motel room"

Dean gave him an insulted look, but popped a wink on the end of it.

He was feeling fine, and could take any teasing that came his way.

X

Dean felt even better once he'd showered and changed, and was pacing by the time Sam got out of the shower, Bobby having gone before him.

Looking up at his taller brother who was rubbing a towel through a mop of wet hair, he grabbed his stomach. "Dude, I'm starving!"

Sam laughed. "Well, can't say I'm not relieved to get my regular brother back. Linda Blair brother kinda had me worried."

Dean gave him a charming smile. "Can't keep a legend down for long!" He shook his keys. "Breakfast is on me"

Bobby grabbed them from his hands and shoved them into his pocket. "Not tonight, Josephine"

"What the fuck?" Dean growled.

"Gimme half a day without you upchucking yer guts and I'll let you drive" Bobby told him. "Till then, I'm gonna look after these."

Sam wrinkled his brow and threw the towel on the bed. "Are you sure you wanna go out again? What if you need to barf, you wanna do that in front of everyone?" Dean frowned at him. "Maybe let Bobby go and get breakfast, and we'll eat here. Sound like a plan?"

Dean gave him a grumpy look but agreed. He didn't want to admit it but the thought of throwing up in a public place was not something he wanted to do, and while he was feeling much, much better, there was no guarantee he could keep his breakfast down.

"Fine" he grumbled. "You go get something to eat, but I'm telling you" he folded his arms and squared his shoulders in what he hoped was a defiant stance "If I keep that down I'm driving. You got it?"

Bobby gave him a snarl. "Sure, I got it."

As he was about to leave, Dean grabbed the back of his shirt. "Oh, and Bobby, if you ever grab my keys off me again.."

"What? You'll beat me up?" Bobby laughed. "You and what army?"

After Bobby left Dean jumped on one of the beds, remote in hand, skimming TV channels. He could feel Sam's mother hen gaze and frowned.

"What?"

"You don't look good, dude. Have you got a fever? You still look pale."

Dean didn't look at him, he just flicked from station to station, looking for something to catch his attention. "Dude I'm fine, I just upchucked every morsel of food I ate from the last six months, how am I supposed to look? Just get off my back"

Sam frowned but gave in. "Just tell me, do you have a fever?"

Dean rolled his eyes and kept surfing the channels without answering. Truth be told, he wasn't feeling one hundred percent, but he felt heaps better than before.

He decided that perhaps the food just want quite right from Ted's, but he wasn't gonna worry about it too much more.

Sam opened his computer and dove straight into researching their real case, the one with the kids getting torn up in the snow. They both passed the time in silence, Dean watching TV, Sam scrolling through page after page of details and myths.

Until Bobby came back with food. He walked it over to the table and started pulling things out of the diner bags. A breakfast serve of granola came first, with a small carton of skim milk.

Dean took one look at the granola and screwed his nose up. "Dude, what the hell? I don't eat this crap!"

"Don't worry about it" Bobby grumbled back "That's for Sam. I know you aint gonna eat a healthy breakfast, I got you pancakes. I figured a breakfast burrito might be too rich for yer stomach just now"

Dean pouted but didn't complain.

"And here's some syrup" Bobby said as he handed Dean a container and a greasy bag accompanied a large take away coffee. "If your gonna barf it up, make sure you give me notice. I need to use the john soon."

Dean snarled and sat down, polishing off ever scrap of food and his entire coffee, grateful that he didn't feel the least bit queasy, managing to keep the whole lot down

Bobby turned to Sam. "Anything new on the net about the last attack?"

Sam shook his head as he spooned his granola into his mouth. "No, no new update, but reception here is pretty crap. Taking forever to give me anything" he answered around his full mouth.

Bobby unfolded the paper as he ate and turned the pages. "Here we go. Says here they haven't accounted for at least five of the teens maybe more, they're piecing together the body parts they got, but the meat puzzle seems to missing a few pieces" he said tapping the paper for emphasis

"They aint been able to find more than fourteen kids bits."

"You thins k some of them mighta got away? Dean asked.

"Pretty rough territory round there." Bobby spun his paper for Dean to see better, he was looking over the shoulder of the older hunter. "I caint see how snotty nosed private school kids could survive in those kinda conditions"

Sam shrugged. "I dunno, Bobby, there's a few caves and quite a bit of heavy forest, they may have been able to find a place to hole up until help gets to them"

"Well anyway, their still searching, but no one's holding out much hope" Bobby answered. "We got at least a day till we can get there, depending on what time you guys wanna take off from here."

"I'm peachy, don't wait on me" Dean said, throwing his rubbish in the tiny trash can.

"Yeah, about that" Sam wiped his face. "How bout we just give it an hour or so, see how things settle in your stomach before we hit the road?"

"Fine" Dean groaned. "But I'm telling yah I'm good, okay? Whatever Ted put in my food…" He stopped, his face twisted in horror. "Oh God, what do you think Ted put in my food?"

Bobby laughed. "I shudder to think! He did find you rather handsome, didn't he, son?"

"Don't joke" Dean pouted. "Freak probably laced my meal with….." he held his stomach. "I think I'll lie down a bit"

Sam laughed at Dean's distressed face before turning back to his computer and his coffee. Not more than a minute later Dean's loud snoring brought his head up.

"Again? He slept for so long in the car!" he cried, a pleading expression on his face as he turned to Bobby.

"Clearly the boy's got a bug, or something" Bobby answered. "We'll just keep an eye on him. Sleeping it off is the best option, I guess" Bobby turned to look at the snoring man. A soft sheen of sweat coated his brow and his cheeks were vibrant spots of color.

No, he didn't look good. Bobby could feel it in his guts, there _was_ something wrong, though unless it came vomiting out Dean would never let on.

Damn that boy! Stoic to the last, his damn intestines could be hanging out and he wouldn't let you give him a bandaid.

Sam kept tapping away at his computer, but Bobby could see there was more attention on the brother on the bed than on the internet.

Bobby finished his paper, not much else there of interest, and pulled his chair around to watch the mid morning news.

The infomercials in this town seemed to go on forever, a sweating bevy of young women on some contraption that would turn their rock hard abs into..well, rock hard abs!

Finally the news started and the lead story was the torn up children, plenty of interviews with distraught parents and relatives, the local PD and wildlife rangers. The weather had turned pretty nasty preventing the search for the missing teenagers continuing for the day, though by the expressions on all concerned it was pretty clear no one thought they'd find any survivors.

Bobby turned back to Sam, only to find him staring at his brother again. Sam felt the gaze and met Bobby's eyes.

"Can you feel his forehead?" he asked Bobby. "I'm sure he's got a fever"

"Put a hand on me, you'll lose it" Dean answered back without opening his eyes. "I'm fine. Leave me alone"

Sam smiled. "How about some Tylenol, then?"

Dean opened his eyes at this, and held out his hand. Smiling, Sam grabbed the bottle of pain killers and a bottle of water and handed them to his brother.

Dean gulped down what looked like half a bottle of the pills and dry swallowed them. He took a large slug of water and closed his eyes again. "Stop looking at me, Sam. I gotta headache from getting hit, is all, and some kinda stomach bug. I aint gonna drop dead anytime soon"

Bobby smiled. It didn't mean that Dean was feeling any better, but at least he took the Tylenol. That would bring down any fever, and hopefully give him enough relief until this bug passed out of his system.

Dean rolled over and was soon snoring again. Bobby stood and stretched. "Well, the TV said the weather was bad, so I guess it won't hurt to wait and let him sleep this off"

Sam nodded. "Yeah. I guess." He sighed, turning back to his computer. "But if he doesn't wake up any better I'm dragging his ass to a doctor"

Bobby sat at the table and pulled a couple of books out of his duffle bag. "I'd like to see you try"

X

X

X

X

Dean leaned over and picked up his horse's leg. The paint quarterhorse had been feeling lame for at least the last mile.

Sally, his wife, smiled at her husband. He treated that damn horse better than her.

They had been married nearly eighteen years, no children, their first and foremost love, after each other, were their horses and trail riding across the alps. They loved to do this rain, hail or shine, and the early snow had been welcomed with excitement.

Today they were taking out a trail group of twelve adults, novice but competent riders, with herself at the back, her red haired husband Dean at the front, and Dean's brother Mark in the middle of the group.

All of their horses were quiet, experienced and capable mounts that were quite happy to plod along in the snow, not caring if their riders did the wrong thing. They never reacted to the occasional fox or rabbit that jumped up in front of them, or a startled bird that might fly up in a rush of feathers and frenetic screeching.

"So, what's the verdict?" Sally asked her husband. He turned his ice blue eyes up to her and smiled. "The tiniest of pebbles. You know what a sook this mare is!"

Sally laughed. "I swear you love that damned mare more than me!"

Dean stood and pulled his wife low enough so he could kiss her. "There is not one thing in this world I love more than you"

Sally sat back up. "That's all I wanted to hear!"

A few of the horses snorted, and one whinnied in what sounded like fear.

"Um, is that normal?" called out one of the trail group as his horse started to jig jog, its large head nodding up and down.

Dean swung back up into the saddle. "Nothing to worry about" he called out. "These horses have seen everything, but if they get the scent of a wolf" a few worried murmurs made him raise his hand "Very rare, I might add, and probably passed through last night with a mouth full of rabbit" relieved sighs "They might react a little, but nothing to worry about, okay? Nothing to worry about"

One of the rider's horses reared and screamed, sending the hapless man into the snow. The horse turned and bolted, causing cries of panic and fear, in the fellow riders as well as their horses. Sally's horse also started to whinny, jogging and sweating, its large eyes rolling in panic. Before another moment passed they had all of the horses stamping about, sheer panic taking them. "This isn't right" Mark called to his brother. "Let's turn back"

Dean reached down to the fallen rider, the snow had provided a soft landing. He swung him up behind him, his mare's broad back providing plenty of room for another rider.

"Good idea" he yelled back to Mark. "All right, everyone" he called over the noisy horses "We're gonna head back.." he was cut short when his mare flipped suddenly, sending the extra rider flying, Dean only managing to hang on through sheer will alone.

All of the horses started to scream, a fearful roar of horror, fright and panic. The riders followed suit, some crying, some shouting, all terrified to a point of no reasonable coherency.

Sally, Mark and Dean had no hope of controlling the group. Several of the horses bolted off in various directions, Sally was thrown from hers, Dean could not see Mark at all.

He barely managed to steer his terrified mare closer to Sally, and his wife leapt up behind him, wrapping her arms tightly around his midriff.

The horses became more frantic, and some actually collapsed into the snow in fear.

"Oh my God, oh my God, look" screamed a woman who had come off beside them as she pointed behind Dean and Sally.

They twisted on their horse until they saw what had been frightening all of the horses so badly.

This time when Dean's horse chose to bolt, he let her go, hanging on as tightly for dear life.

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><p><em><strong>AN...don't get spoiled, next chapter wil take longer, I'm sure. Reviews might encourage me to write faster! (lol)**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N...we step forward...all the threads are drawing together..**_

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><p>Sherry-Anne stepped forward. "It's not alive, this is like, I don't know, it's shed skin, or something. You know, like a snake"<p>

Alec picked up a stone and threw it at the large shape, and the stone bounced off with a hollow thud. "You're right, I think" he stepped forward, slowly cautiously still clinging to Holly firmly with his right hand.

They all moved forward in their little frightened conga train, until Alec was close enough to tap the dry husk with his boot. It was, indeed, hollow, just a shed skin left lying on the cave floor, the creature must have found this slightly larger chamber the ideal place to shed.

"It's so gross" Holly grunted.

"Stinks like anything, too" Troy added.

"Don't care." Sherry-Anne pulled back a little. "If this is its comfy spot to change clothes, I'm thinking I don't want to be here when it comes passed again"

Alec let out a small moan. "Oh God..there's bones there…people bones"

The teenagers all huddles around to see. "It must've eaten up before it slipped its skin"

"Gross" Holly added. "Okay, I'm with Sherry-Anne. I think we have to find a way out, and since the only way is straight ahead, and that thing is behind us, I vote we keep going"

Murmured agreement all around and Alec on point saw the teenagers move off again, the cavern narrowing but still allowing them to walk upright, single file, the moss glow showing the way.

They hadn't gone very far when they felt the temperature start to drop and movement in the air.

"I think we're getting close to an exit" Troy whispered.

They moved on, and before too long the moss patches grew more infrequent, but the light grew stronger.

They turned a slight bend and the wind rushed about them, with the hope of an entrance ahead the moved forward at a much faster pace.

Alec stopped abruptly again, and as before everyone crashed behind him.

There was snow in the passage.

"Oh My God!" squealed Sherry-Anne. "This has to be it!"

The pushed on, even though the temperature here had dropped quite severely the excitement of finally getting out of the cave overtook them and they barely noticed.

Another small bend, and this time they all stopped.

Disappointment fell over them like a cloud, their spirits crushed.

It was an opening.

But it was a few hundred feet up a cliff face. Unless they could fly, they weren't going anywhere.

X

X

X

X

The smell of pizza woke him. He felt his stomach react to the tantalizing aroma; his mouth was salivating as he breathed in a deep lungful.

"Mornin' Rip Van Winkle!" Bobby called from the motel table before taking a bite of about the largest slice Dean had ever seen.

"How long was I asleep?" he groaned, rubbing his eyes.

Sam walked out of the little kitchen alcove with a bottle of coke and some glasses. "All day and all night. It's lunch time, tomorrow, dude"

Dean stretched and felt his back pop with the strain. Swinging his legs over to the side of the bed, he shook his head to get some clarity and immediately regretted it when the wound on the back of his skull beat a staccato rhythm in his brain.

He reached up and gingerly touched the now healing gash. "Forgot about that"

Sam sat the soda on the table and turned to his brother. "How're you feeling?"

Dean peered up at him through his thick lashes. "Like I been asleep for a month. Hungry. Headache. Need a pee"

Sam smiled as he watched Dean stumble into the bathroom.

"He looks better" Bobby commented.

Sam pulled out a chair and sat as the sound of the shower followed a flush as his brother tried to resume some normality into his life.

"You were right. Letting him sleep it off seems to have made a difference" he poured himself a coke and grabbed a slice. "Can't say that I wasn't worried. I'm just glad now he seems back to normal"

The shower was a quick one, Dean was so hungry he thought he'd turn inside out if he didn't get some food soon. Towel wrapped around his waist he joined the other two at the table.

Tearing into the pizza he sloshed a glass of the cola and took another bite before he swallowed the first one.

"Hey. Take it easy" Sam admonished. "You been pretty sick. Just slow down and let your stomach adapt"

"M fine" he mumbled back around a mouth full. "Starving"

They ate for a while in silence, Dean unable to talk as he wolfed down a pizza and a half, Sam and Bobby watching him in morbid fascination.

Finally, Dean leaned back on his chair and patted his stomach. "See, it just didn't like Ted's gay food"

Sam shook his head. "I don't think his food was gay"

"Whatever, dude, made me sick.'

"Why don't yah get dressed and see how you pull up, if yer keeping those cookies down we can push off" Bobby drained the last of his soda.

Dean pushed up from the table. "I'm fine. All healed, all cylinders firing, ready to roll!"

Sam handed the Tylenol bottle over. "You still got a headache, don't you?"

Dean grabbed the bottle. "Maybe. I did get hit in the head, remember"

"Just don't go throwin' up again, so we can be off. Deal?" Bobby pushed his cap back and scratched his forehead. "There's been another attack while you were pullin' yer sleeping beauty routine"

Dean grabbed his duffle and started pulling out clothes. "More kids?"

"Nah. Horse riding group. They've only got sketchy details on the news, but it looks like they got a distress call over a satellite phone saying a dinosaur attacked, then the line went dead."

Dean gathered up his clothes and his shaver as he turned back to the bathroom. Realising what Bobby had said, he turned back. "Really? A dinosaur? We going Primeval?"

Sam looked surprised. "The British TV show? Really? You watched that?"

Dean sighed. "Ben did"

He turned into the bathroom, shaving and getting dressed with the door open. Neither Bobby nor Sam spoke.

Ten minutes later he was shoving his dirty clothes back into his bag, his color good, no signs of the previous day's illness at all. He even let Sam check his head wound without fussing.

They carried their bags to the car, the day half over, the sky covered in a grey mantle of storm clouds.

"What's the 411 on the latest attack?" Dean asked as he slid behind the wheel.

"Bad internet connection, so… sketchy, at best. Newspaper and TV didn't give us much" Sam said from the back seat. He fired up his computer as they pulled out of the motel car park. "Hopefully I can get a better…yep, already I got half a bar"

Dean snickered and Bobby couldn't help but smile along. Sam blushed, ignoring the innuendo.

Sam's fingers tapped the keys in regular rhythm barley heard over the motor. Bobby had pulled out a battered journal and a few reference books in the passenger seat beside Dean and was compiling a list of various things on a motel scribble pad.

Left to his own thoughts Dean turned the radio up a little more as Aerosmith pounded out his kind of music and he tapped his thumb on the steering wheel in time to the bass.

They made good time, by the time night had fallen they were in a different state, and a different weather zone. No one had spoken for a long time, when Dean had glanced into the rear view a few hours prior he'd found Sam asleep, cheek pushed into the window. "Stayed up all night just keeping an eye on yah" Bobby had informed him.

Dean glanced at the older hunter sitting beside him. "Hungry?" he asked him. "Car needs gas"

Bobby looked up from his research. "I could eat"

Sam stirred and yawned as they pulled into a gas station. "Where are we?"

"Not in Kansas anymore, ToTo" Bobby grinned as Dean opened the door to fuel up.

"How's he looking?" Sam asked quietly.

"Fine. Caint see anything wrong. He slapped back another handful of painkillers, but that aint unusual for him"

Sam turned around to watch his brother. "Bobby, where did Dean go?"

Bobby glanced up. "Probably hit the head. Been a long drive"

Sam frowned but decided that sounded reasonable.

After a few minutes he heard the gas stop pumping, the tank was full and the auto stop had deployed.

Dean wasn't anywhere in sight so Sam climbed out of the car to attend to the gas. He returned the nozzle to the pump, and tapped the top of the car. Bobby stepped out.

"Should I check on him?"

Bobby shrugged. "If he's okay, he's gonna be pissed yer motherin' him. If he's passed out on a dirty rest room floor, I'd say he'd be might grateful you got him outta there."

Sam nodded, his brow creased with worry. He handed Bobby some folded notes. "Why don't you go pay, I'll, um, take a leak?"

"Good thinkin'"

Sam notice the rest room door was slightly ajar so he entered, Dean was there splashing his face with water. He looked up as Sam entered, and the younger sibling noticed the paleness had returned.

"You checking up on me?" Dean growled.

Sam shook his head. "Nope. Came in to use the john."

Dean wiped his face on paper towel and leaned back against the basin. He was breathing raggedy and his hair seemed greasy from sweat.

"You okay?" Sam finally ventured.

Dean shrugged. "I thought I was, but I took one wiff of the gas and thought I was gonna loose my lunch."

"And did you?"

"Did I what?"

"Loose your lunch."

Dean gave him half a grin. "I think only because I was too damn stubborn, I refused to barf"

Sam zipped up and Dean moved so he could wash his hands.

"You okay to drive?"

Dean shrugged and turned to open the door. "Let me see if I can make it to the car, first"

Sam walked beside him, trying not to act too concerned. A lot of stomach bugs can take a few days to get over, he thought. Fair enough Dean felt queasy over the smell of gasoline, it can do that to you on an empty stomach or if you're hung over.

And he didn't throw up. That's gotta be a bonus. Means he's getting better.

Doesn't it?

Dean walked with more confidence as he got closer to the car. Bobby looked up at him and Sam could see no concern on his face. "If you girls are finished powdering yer noses, I'm kinda hungry. Could use a drink, too, before we drive on"

Dean pulled out his wallet. "I gotta pay for the gas first"

"Already done" Sam told him. "You want me to drive?"

Dean opened the driver door without answering, he just flashed his brother a bright smile, his color fully returned, no sweaty brow. Sam smiled back at him and climbed into the back seat.

The drive to the town's bar was short and despite Sam's worry Dean seemed fine. They walked inside the brightly lit establishment, greeted by a blast of juke box country music and the smell of beer, sweat and feet. Dean hesitated, just for a moment, he swallowed then moved straight to a booth, sitting heavily. Bobby made eye contact with Sam but said nothing. Sam gave the smallest of shrugs and slipped in opposite his brother, Bobby slid in beside him.

There were menus already on the table, and Sam picked one up. "Maybe don't overdo it, Dean, let your stomach recover a bit more."

Bobby tugged at his cap to hide a visual examination of his surrogate son. Dean looked a little pale, but not sweaty, not distressed. He handed him a menu. "Can always get yah some soup"

Dean frowned at him but didn't answer.

A young waitress sauntered over and took in the trio. Sam looked up and she gave him a very inviting smile. "May I take your orders?"

Sam and Bobby ordered then looked at Dean. He frowned at the menu and then realised everyone was waiting on him. "Ah…I'll have the soup"

She smiled at him and sashayed away.

Dean raised his brows at his companions, daring either one of them to say anything about his food choice. Sam just pulled out his computer and flipped it open.

"So. Look. I found a bit more on this thing before I fell asleep"

"Yeah?"

"It's appeared all over the world, every twenty two years, there's even legends of whole villages being wiped out, bodies torn apart. But this one time…here" he swung it around for both Bobby and Dean to see "This little village in Siberia, they managed to fight it off. It only killed three people"

"How" Dean asked. "Any specifics?"

Sam pointed to the name at the bottom of the article. "Not listed here, but this professor wrote a dissertation on it, I've emailed him to get a copy, his reference points, that kinda stuff"

"There is one book listed there" Bobby pulled the computer around. "Though it's not known as that anymore. Here, I'm pretty sure…" he started typing, the computer between him and Sam, leaving Dean to tap his fingers on the table. "Yeah, it's online"

They continued to research, almost ignoring the third man until the waitress came over. She served the food from a large tray, and Sam furrowed his brow at the massive bowl of hearty beef soup served to his brother, chunks of meat and vegetables in a thick stew – like broth, large warm bread rolls and a slab of real butter.

Dean caught the look and grinned at him. "You thought I was gonna have chicken noodle soup, or somethin', didn't you?"

Sam tipped his head. "I thought you weren't feeling that good."

"Man. I saw the soup on a table as we walked in, and I felt brand new!"

Sam smiled and pushed the computer over so he and Bobby could eat. "So, this has some references but not enough for us to know what this thing is, monster or demon, or how to stop it."

Bobby picked up his burger. "Does say the villages were prepared, and had everything set up before the creature arrived."

Dean stopped shovelling in his food for a moment and tore a hunk out of one of his bread rolls. He dipped this into his steaming soup, sopping up the aromatic sauciness. "Ah, so how did they know where it would strike? Is there some clue, signal, or something?"

Bobby shrugged.

"Doesn't say. At least, we haven't found that bit yet" Sam answered. He forked a large amount of salad into his mouth and seemed thoughtful.

"D'ya know, your thinking face looks just like your sex face" Dean smirked.

Sam wrinkled his nose. "You don't know what my sex face looks like"

"Yah, I do" Dean filled his mouth again and grinned, hunks of bread roll protruding. He pointed at his brother "_That's_ what it looks like"

Sam rolled his eyes, but smiled back. It was good to see Dean eating and joking. Not something that was happening at the best of times, and even more precious now with his bug, hopefully, all gone.

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Mark shook his head and tied to figure out which way was up. He was buried under god knows how much snow, his horse with him, but the snow was so loose that they had room to wriggle around and breathe.

His gelding was still frightened, and being buried didn't help his demeanour, but he had calmed since they had taken off at a flat stack gallop from that…what was that thing?

A hand broke through the snow, giving him a fright, but also bringing immense relief. He clasped it and the hand gave a start, he had frightened his rescuer. They pulled him free, his horse struggling to join him, and he was relieved to see his brother and wife, both uninjured, three horses including Dean's own with them.

"How did you know I was there?" Mark asked them.

"We saw you go in" Sally answered. "Let's get Diego out"

Dean grabbed a rope from his saddle and the looped it around the near panicked horse and helped pull him free. He shook the snow covering off his dark coat, relieved to be out, and let out an almost comical sigh.

"Where's everyone else?" Mark asked.

Sally looked at her husband, her face grim.

"Apart from the ones whose horses bolted at the start, we don't know. Took ages to pull my horse up, she was just flying in a fit of fear, then we came back for you"

"Well, let's go see what we can find." Mark swung himself up into the saddle.

Sally and Dean just stood there, looking at him.

"What?"

Dean put his arm around his wife. "Dude, you saw that thing. Maybe we shouldn't go back. Maybe we should just go for help"

Mark frowned at his brother. "Someone could need help. What if it was me. Or Sally. Wouldn't you want someone to go back and check? I mean, we were in charge, we should really go back and have a look. Even if it's from a distance"

Dean acquiesced. "You're right. Man, I know, we shouldn't even be thinking like this"

Mark gave him a reassuring grin. "I'm thinking bring the spare horse, and leave one here with Sal. If we don't come back in a reasonable amount of time, she can go for help"

"No!" Sally grabbed Dean's jacket. "I'm not staying here alone, I'm not letting you go without me!"

Dean leant over and kissed the top of her head. "Mark's right, baby. We'll go check, carefully, from a distance if we have to, and you wait here. If we're not back in an hour, high tail it back to base and call for help." He turned and grabbed the reins from his mare and placed them in her hands. "Besides, you gotta have a few terrified people waiting there about now, the ones who bolted back."

Sally started to cry. "Hey" Dean tipped her chin up. "You think Mark's gonna let anything happen to me?"

Sally looked up at Mark and couldn't help but smile at the fierce expression on his face. These boys were only ten months apart, they had on their own since their parents were killed when they were only seventeen and sixteen. She had never seen a greater bond between brothers. These two would walk into fire for each other, and since she had come along Mark had extended his protective wing to her, as if she was an extension of his big brother.

Dean was right, they would look out for each other, neither would let the other do anything reckless. She nodded, and Dean helped her swing up onto his horse before he mounted one of the spares, tying the other to his saddle.

He leaned over to his wife and kissed her, then both men turned their horses and cantered off.

Sally felt a twist in her gut, but took a breath. "They'll be fine. They will, won't they, girl?" she tugged at the horses mane and received a soft nicker in return.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN...It's my last working day, (Thursday in Australia) and a big weekend ahead, don't know if I can update before maybe Tuesday...but I'll try...now, you know what I want, don't you?**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N...um...I had something in my head, must've slipped through the cracks...**_

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><p>Sherry-Anne shivered against the cave wall where she was huddled, her piece of sleeping back tied around her shoulders, another jacket she had found in the cave worn over this, but still she was shivering. "We can't stay like this. We're gonna freeze"<p>

Holly was sitting with her legs over the edge of the cave mouth, the two boys beside her. They turned to Sherry-Anne.

"What do you think we should do?" Alec asked her. "I'm not going back into the cave, and I'm not jumping off here. So, I don't know, what do _you_ think we should do?"

Sherry-Anne rolled her eyes. "No one's going back into the cave, _smart_ Alec. I'm thinking we all have got something bright on. If we can just get enough stuff and maybe, I guess, make like flags, or markers, around this cave, then anyone going passed, or rescue planes or whatever, they can see them"

Holly nodded. "Yeah, that's a good idea. I mean, I don't want to take any of my layers off, but we can always huddle together to be warm"

Try wiped his mittened hands over his face. "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but if we can just get back to where that gross skin was, there were more bits of clothing. We wouldn't have to take any of ours off that way"

The teenagers fell silent. No one wanted to go back, and the more they thought about it, the greater the look of panic that started to grow on their faces. Finally Sherry-Anne broke the silence. "I'll go" she whispered.

Holly's eyes grew very wide. "What?"

"I said I'll go"

Troy's face was white, his eyes large blue orbs of fear. "I'll go with you, then. Two can grab more and be back quicker. And we can watch each other's back"

Sherry-Anne gave him a smile. "Are you sure?"

Troy shook his head. "Hell, no! But if you can do it, so can I"

Alec looked at them both. "Maybe we should all go, then."

Holly stood and grabbed her girlfriend's arm. "We'd better hurry, then. If I think about this I'll change my mind"

X

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Dean had driven for several hours before he relinquished the wheel to Bobby, he was now loudly snoring in the back seat. Sam slept, also his face squashed up against the window of the front passenger seat. Bobby glanced at each of the brothers now and then, a fatherly gesture, just checking they were okay. They were the closest he had to family, and he loved them and worried over them as if they were his own.

Every now and then Dean murmured in his sleep, a few mumbled nonsensical vowels that didn't make up any real words. Bobby would check the rear view mirror and see the furrowed brow, but the snoring would resume so he let it be.

Just as dawn broke the horizon Dean started to murmur a little louder, moving his arms and his legs jerking. Sam sat up, rubbing his eyes. He stretched and yawned, then picked up on the voice in the back seat. He twisted around to look behind himself.

"Dean's having a nightmare" he told Bobby.

"Been off and on most of the night" Bobby answered. "Just got louder now"

Dean started to thrash his head from side to side, then sat up with a gasp, his eyes unfocused, confused.

"Sammy!" he yelled, startling the two in the front, Bobby swerved a little with the start. Sam reached over and grabbed Dean's leg.

"Hey!" he called to Dean, but his brother flew back on the seat, his eyes still unfocused, his expression wild.

"Sammy" Dean screamed again and Bobby pulled the car over, the tyres skidding in the gravel on the roadside as the rear end fishtailed in protest at the sudden stop.

Sam was out of the car before it came to a standstill and near ripped the rear passenger door open and grabbed Dean's shoulders.

"Hey!" he shook him gently then more vigorously when the first shake gave no reaction.

Dean turned his head to his brother, his eyes slowly coming into focus. "Sammy?" he croaked. "It's really you?" and he grabbed Sam in a bear hug.

Bobby had come around to the open door, and as Sam broke the hug he looked up at Bobby with confusion, then back to his brother.

"Dean? What's going on?"

Dean blinked, confused, then rubbed his hands over his face. "What?"

Sam stepped back from the car to allow his brother to climb out. "Dude, you freaked out. You were having a major nightmare. And you've got a fever again"

Dean scrubbed his hand across his brow to remove the sweat. "It was just from the dream. I don't have a fever." He climbed out of the car and stood for a moment, head bowed, just taking a breath.

Bobby rocked back on his heels. "What's goin' on with you, boy?" He tugged at his cap, worry on his face. Dean straightened and frowned at Bobby.

"Nuthin'. M fine. Need a leak" and he huffed off to the tree line a few yards away.

Sam leaned back against the open car door. "I dunno, Bobby. He isn't right. And I swear he has a fever again."

Bobby folded his arms against the dawn chill. "I agree with yah, son, but getting' Dean to admit somthin's up is like pullin' teeth from a wounded rhino."

Sam's brow was creased with worry. "Can someone else take over this hunt? I think he really needs some down time" He stood and looked over at his brother. "I don't know if it's the stomach thing, or something else. I mean, he was freaky when you first mentioned this hunt"

"I'll call a coupla guys. Gimme a few" Bobby answered, pulling his cell from his pocket and walking down the road a bit. Sam knew that this was more than just to have quiet to ring, it was also to give him a minute or two alone with Dean.

When his brother didn't return Sam walked over to him. Dean was just standing there, watching the sun rise through the trees. He was shivering with the cold.

"Hey. Um, Dean?" Sam cleared his throat. "It's freezing. Come back to the car"

Dean didn't turn.

Sam moved closer until his arm touched his brother's shoulder, the yellow and silver rays from the rising sun turning the dew drops on the pine needles to diamonds.

"It wasn't always hot" Dean spoke so quietly that Sam, at first, didn't think he'd heard right.

He just stood still, and when his brother didn't add any more, he tried a gentle prompt. "What wasn't always hot, Dean?"

Dean turned to his brother, and Sam felt his breath catch at the unspilled tears in the vibrant green eyes, the sun caressing the moisture and turning it into gemstones.

"Hell" Dean's answer was coarse, as if he'd screamed his voice away. "Sometimes, it was freezing" and he turned and trudged back to the car. Sam watched him, his own tear breaking forth and spilling down his cheek.

Dean stormed into driver's seat of the car, his mood darkening and his face mostly unreadable. Sam walked up to Bobby, who shook his head.

"No one else even close to picking this one up" he informed the tall man. "We gotta go with this" He tipped his head towards the Impala. "Get anything outta him?"

Sam shrugged. "Ah, not much. Just that sometimes hell is frozen"

Bobby looked shocked, then saddened. "He really didn't want this hunt, did he?"

Sam started towards the car. "Maybe it's for the best. Confront your fears, and all that"

Bobby followed him. "Yeah, and I'm gonna grow tits and star in Vegas" he muttered, and Sam smiled in spite of the sombre events.

X

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Holly hummed some Britney Spears tune as they walked, and while Alec couldn't identify it or even admit he knew it was Britney, he appreciated the noise as it distracted him from the silence of the cave, and the lonely trudging sound of their feet crunching through the icy pebbles on floor of the dimly lit cavern.

The passage opened to the wider cavern where they had found the skin. Sherry-Anne had wrapped some handfuls of moss around some long pieces of branches that she had found near the cave mouth so they had makeshift light, albeit dim hardly useful.

Troy was a little ahead and everyone jumped when he squealed in sudden surprise and fear.

"Alive, Oh My Got, it's alive" he screamed, scuttling backwards until he fell heavily on his butt.

"It can't be alive, it's just a skin" hissed Holly.

"Not the thing, the thing!"

"You're not making sense" Alec grabbed Tory's arm and hoisted him upright. 'What's alive?"

Troy bent and put his head between his knees, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself before standing upright again.

"The rags. I went to pick one up but there was a body in it, and when I tugged the rag, it moved and groaned. It's alive"

"Jeez, Troy, which one? It could be one of the kids from our camp!" Sherry-Anne waved her make shift light around. Troy gingerly walked forward, and they all held their lights together to illuminate the bundle on the floor.

Alec gave it a gentle kick, and Holly slapped him across the chest. "Don't kick her! God, Alec, you're such a dick!"

The body groaned. "That don't sound like a chick" Alec hissed.

The four teenagers stood, momentarily unsure of what to do.

"Hello?" Sherry-Anne whispered. She bent down, bringing her glowing moss-torch closer. "Can you hear me?"

The body didn't answer, and she couldn't really tell too much about him in the dim light. She turned back to her friends. "We should get him up to the hole. At least we can see if he needs help. It's too dark in here"

"Okay, how do we do that? He looks kinda big"

Anne bent down next to Sherry-Anne. "He's got rope on him."

"He's tied up?" Troy exclaimed.

"No, you idiot" Sherry-Anne hissed. "Its, like, in a roll on his belt, you know, like a cowboy has. Here" she tugged, with Holly helping, and got the rope free.

They looped it under his arms and made a make shift harness. The guys got together and started to drag the unconscious man back towards the mouth of the cave, the girls, not forgetting their original mission, grabbed as many brightly coloured bits of clothing they could find before hurrying after their companions.

He stayed unconscious the whole way, an occasional groan the only thing confirming he was still alive. They took him as close to the opening as they could safely do, and unlooped the rope.

"Let's get a look at you" Holly bent down and pulled at the black balaclava that covered his face. She had to remove his parka hood first, and it came away with a sickening squish of half congealed blood. She was more careful in removing his knitted cap, and gently turned the back of his head towards the light so she could examine his injury.

The back of his skull was cut and a massive lump had formed. She pressed the area, probing to see if the skull was intact, and the man groaned again and tried to swipe her hand away. She looked up at her companions, but they only stared back at her, wide eyed and confused.

She gently turned his head and laid it on her lap. "I don't know him, he's not part of our group" she said quietly. Alec bent down and squatted beside her. He touched the man's face and smoothed a hand over his brow, then gently tapped a cheek.

"Dude, wake up. Mister? Can you hear me?"

Holly and Alec sat beside the man. He was a well built, muscular man, probably quite tall, sandy red hair in sweaty curls tumbled down a bit longer than his collar. Holly ran a hand through his hair. "Mister? Can you wake up?"

The all took a startled gasp when his bright blue eyes flew open. He coughed, and lifted a hand to his head.

"Where..?"

"Whare are you?" Holly leaned over so he could see her face upside down from her lap. "You want to know where you are?" He nodded.

She looked up at her friends, then looked back at him. "What can you remember? Can you remember what happened to you?"

He frowned. He touched the wound at the back of his head, then tried to struggle to get up. Alec and Troy both leaned in and helped him into a seating position, his back against the frozen cave wall.

"Mister? Can you remember how you got here?" Troy asked him.

Thee man shook his head.

Sherry-Anne grabbed a chunk of blanket that she'd found and tucked it around his head and shoulders. "Let's try something easier. What's your name?"

He looked at her, blinking slowly. His brow was creased, hard, with concentration.

Holly placed a hand on his knee. "Can you tell me your name?" she soothed.

He turned his head slightly, his blue eyes locking with hers.

"I…I don't know" He took her hand, desperation clear in his voice. "I don't know what my name is" He turned his head to take in the other teenagers, and looked back at the cave, then the opening. "What happened to me? How did I get here?"

X

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Dean drove in silence until the car started to chug from a low tank. He pulled into the next gas station and jumped out of the car before anyone spoke to him.

He started to pump the gas, leaning against the car and stared straight into the bright winter sky.

Never one for letting part of himself out easily, he was angry that he'd shown Sam the pain he'd kept locked away. He'd never told anyone about those times he had endured in Hell where the torture didn't involve the rack.

He'd never mentioned that the first few months it was all about the cold, the fear, the loss, and just when he could bear no more he would be back in the heat and the sweat, the rack, the cutting, the torture.

Just to wake the next day back in the cold.

Sam had not ever known about that, and he had sworn to himself he'd never tell. Why did it start to haunt him now? He knew he didn't want to go trudging through the snow for monster, searching for…..

No.

He wasn't going to think about any of that.

Not now.

Not yet.

He heard the pump stop and he removed the nozzle and closed the gas tank. Neither Bobby nor Sam had moved out of the car, he knew they were giving him space and he was grateful for that.

That at least he had five minutes without the concern burning through their faces, their prodding words and probing questions driving him insane.

He paid for the gas and took a deep breath before he got back into the car.

"No puking?" Sam asked from the back seat, his face a mask of innocence.

"What?" Dean turned to him, his face a mask of anger.

"Yesterday, when you got gas, you nearly puked. I was just asking…"

"Oh." Dean turned back and started the car. "I'm fine"

Dean stole a glance at his brother in the rear view mirror, but the innocent face was still there. Bobby pulled a map from his pile of books on his lap.

"Not too far away, now. What say we just grab some drive through and keep going?" He folded the map to a square only showing their route. "There's a diner with a drive through up ahead"

Dean didn't answer but pointed the car in the right direction. They ordered, received their food and drove off, Sam still looking innocent, Bobby not making eye contact, and Dean stoically driving.

They passed this way for a few hours, slowly gaining altitude as the outside temperature dropped.

Sam cleared his thought. "Uh, Dean?"

His brother made eye contact via the rear view, quirking a brow but not answering.

"I'm thinking we should maybe hire an SUV for when we get into the rough territory"

Bobby pivoted a little so he could talk to both boys. "No need. I rang earlier when Dean was taking a wiz in the trees. Buddy a mine's got a cabin up ahead a way. Can store the Impala in a closed garage and take the SUV, snow mobiles, anything we need"

Dean tipped his head a little to Bobby. "Sounds like a good buddy"

Bobby smiled, his eyes thoughtful. "She sure is"

Sam met his bother's eyes in the rear view and this time they both smiled.

Good old Bobby, Sam thought. Knows how to break a weird mood, and his timing was brilliant.

Bobby gave directions to Dean and it wasn't much after noon when they pulled into his friend's place, more of a mansion than a cabin. The large building was at least three stories high, and the massive garage that would hold the Impala opened to the touch of a remote that Bobby retrieved from a non conspicuous rock in the snowed over garden.

Dean drove his baby into the well fitted garage. It was massive, covering the whole of the first floor. There was plenty of room for him to park without blocking the access to the other vehicles there. They all had a bit of a look around, finding a large all terrain vehicle and several snow mobiles. Right at the back there was even a horse drawn sled.

"How do you know this chick, Bobby?" Dean asked.

Bobby grinned at him. "That, my boy, is for me to know, and you to keep yer nose out of"

Dean chuckled and moved to the trunk to grab the bags and weapons out. "What should we take?"

Bobby shrugged. "Let's go up into the house and check the news first, grab something to eat and some supplies, then we can load up."

Sam grabbed his computer satchel. "I need to charge this up and check my emails. With a little luck that guy's emailed me his dissertation notes and we can get a clearer picture of how to kill this thing"

"Sounds like a plan. Can we shower? Change clothes?" Dean pulled his duffle out and hoiked over one shoulder.

"Son, when you see how this place is decked out, you won't want to leave!"

Dean gave him a raised brow and opened the door to the stair well. Sam grabbed his bag and handed Bobby's over. "I think this was a great idea" he quietly told the older man.

"Hopefully it's enough to get yer brother straight before we head out. Don't need him not a hundred percent. For his sake, and ours"

Bobby followed Dean up to the house. Sam checked he had all he needed, and with a sigh followed the other two hunters. Bobby was right. Dean needed to be well, and his head needed to be on the hunt. Sam trudged up the stairs, and when he heard Dean let out an impressed whistle he couldn't help but grin.

Yep, Bobby had a knack of finding a way to distract his brother, and this one seemed to be just what the doctor ordered

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><p><em><strong>AN...soon...**_


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N...(Insert something witty here)_**

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><p>The man finally managed to stand on his own. He was pale, still a little wobbly, but seemed so much better than when the teens had first found him. They had told him their story, and had even led him back to show him the skin of the creature when he didn't seem to believe them. He had found a small flashlight on his belt, and this had helped everyone get a better view of the husk of skin.<p>

Now, he was just trying to keep up with their current situation.

He leaned at the mouth of the cave and looked out into the midday scene.

"Mister?" Troy moved near him. "Not to sound like a girl, or anything, but you're still not quite steady, and you're standing a bit close to that edge."

The man looked back at him and gave a little nod. He sat down on the edge, legs dangling over, and the kids joined him.

"Still no news up there?" Alec asked him, tapping his own forehead.

The man shook his head. "Hey, I got pockets. Let's see if there's any clues"

Holly swung her legs a little. "Well, I can tell you were riding a horse, you smell like one and you got horse hair on you"

"And you're kinda dressed like a cowboy. Well, how a cowboy might dress if he wore a snow parka" Troy added.

The blue eyes crinkled into a half smile as the man reached into one of his zippered jacket pockets. "Okay, I got some protein bars. You kids hungry?"

Eight large eyes looked at him in gratitude and he handed them one each. "How long you been here?" he asked them.

"I think a day and a half" Holly answered around a full mouth. "Not sure, but we got attacked at night. And it's been longer than one day"

He felt in the rest of his many pockets, pulling out a pen knife, flick blade, a small first aid kit, a bandana, small roll of thin wire, more protein bars and a half dozen candy bars.

Finally he pulled out an I.D. card, and looked at it with confusion. He turned it to the kids. "Is this me?"

Sherry-Anne took it and turned it around to show her companions. "You can't remember what you look like?"

He shook his head.

"Well, it says here you are Professor Daniels, and you are a wildlife preservation officer." The blonde girl turned it over, and handed it back to the man. "It doesn't tell us your first name, but it's you, for sure"

The man looked at it. The face looked back at him, a shy grin, bright blue eyes, too long sandy red hair. It did not look at all familiar.

"So, what do we call you? Professor?" Holly gave him an encouraging smile. "We can keep calling you mister, if you like?"

Alec slapped the confused man on the knee. "Danny? Daniel? Red? Sir?"

The professor looked back at them. "None sound right. Let me check the rest of my pockets."

He pulled out a few other bits and pieces and finally a wallet. He opened it and there, smiling back from his driver's licence, was the face matching his I.D.

"So, what's your name, then?" Holly asked him.

X

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Sam could understand why Dean had been impressed. The house was amazing. Bobby's friend must have been very rich, but Bobby was giving nothing away.

The house was warm, modern, and decked out with every mod con you could imagine. Dean had happily dived into the three person shower, fluffy towels piled up high waiting for him.

Sam had been impressed that the heater had been going, Bobby explained that it turned on when the garage door was activated.

After they had all showered and changed they sat around the very large kitchen bench while Bobby raided the freezer. "There's soups, stews, casserole, lasagne…whatcha guys feel like?"

Sam raised his brows at Dean. "You're the one that's had a bit of a weird stomach, so I'm happy to go with whatever you decide."

Dean grinned at him.

"Lasagne it is, then" he told Bobby.

It took all three of the hunters to figure out the complicated oven, Dean finally getting the thing lit with a triumphant cry. He turned to Bobby. "How long until my lunch is ready?"

Bobby looked at the hand written instructions on the frozen, home cooked meal. "Says forty minutes."

Dean pouted and turned back to stare at the glass oven door.

"We got some research to do while we're waiting. Maybe turn on the TV?" Sam offered.

Dean shrugged and went fossicking through the refrigerator, finding a few beers and a jar of pickles.

He plonked these onto the table and turned on the remote for one of the largest flat screen televisions he'd ever seen.

"Check this out" he told his brother who was busy plugging in is computer to re charge it. "Be like watching TV on a movie screen"

Bobby grabbed a beer and pulled out a chair to sit. "They got a movie theatre. Upstairs"

Dean looked impressed. "You're pulling me off. How in the hell does a no hoper like you pull a millionaire chick who owns all this?"

Bobby pushed his cap back and leaned back onto two legs of his chair. "Her husband was an army buddy of mine. They got into hunting when their kid was dabbling with a Ouija board and summoned a poltergeist"

"Husband? You having affairs with married women, now, Bobby?" Sam asked.

Bobby frowned at him. "Her husband died near ten years ago, now. Heart attack"

Dean sat his beer down. "And you were there to comfort her"

Bobby finally let out a grin. "Have you seen her?" He got up and walked to another room, coming back with a large framed photograph that he handed to Sam.

The woman in the picture was busty, blonde, well groomed and very, very attractive.

Sam nodded, and handed it to Dean.

"I am impressed" Dean sat the frame on the table. "Why haven't I heard about her before?"

Bobby shook his head. "Look at her. You think I want some young buck like you sniffing around?"

Dean laughed and turned up the television as the news report was starting.

The main story was the 'dinosaur' attack on the horse riding party, interviews with some of the survivors, none of which saw what really happened as their horses had bolted back to main base before the creature had struck.

The next interview was with Sally Daniels, one of the leaders of the camp. She, also, had not gotten a good look at what had attacked them, but tearfully described how her husband and his brother had gone back to check for survivors. When they hadn't returned after an hour she returned to base to call for help.

Dean turned to Sam. "Whatcha think?"

Sam scrunched his forehead. "She's lying. She saw what attacked them, she just doesn't know if she should say what it was"

Dean nodded.

"Monsters aint real, remember" Bobby added.

"Only, I'm thinking she saw exactly what kinda monster ate her hubby, and she don't wanna look like an hysterical fool"

"I agree" Sam's computer gave a beep and he scrolled through looking for the email from the professor.

"Here it is" he leaned forward to read and both Bobby and Dean dragged their chairs around to peer over his shoulders. All three read in silence for a while.

"Holy crap" Bobby finally exclaimed.

Dean read a bit further. "Double holy crap"

Sam pushed back a little. "How much of this d'ya think is fact, Bobby?"

"Beats me" he pushed his cap even further back on his head. "But at least we got something to go on, now"

He got up and grabbed the books from his bag that he'd brought in from the car, and flicked through a few pages until he found what he was looking for. He handed the book to Dean.

"Zaltys, Slavic, a great serpent who lives in the bowels of the Earth, will wake once in a generation and consume human flesh, until it sleeps" Dean read, then looked back at Bobby. "Twenty two years is not once in a generation"

Bobby sat the rest of his books on the table and pulled his chair around. "Back in those days people rarely lived over thirty. Twenty two years _was_ a generation"

"Sucks to be them" Dean muttered and went back to the book. "Serpent like, often described as a dragon, it lives in caves and only feeds in winter, and only in high country or mountainous regions."

Bobby flicked over a page. "Slavic, also Norse and maybe mentioned in Chinese mythology, known as many different things, but I'm guessing we got the right one. Comes up every twenty two years as that's its waking/sleeping cycle, it needs to feed before it sleeps. Likes to tear everyone up that it doesn't eat, and…oh, this is interesting"

"What?" both Dean and Sam asked at the same time.

"It takes several victims back to its cave to eat as it goes to sleep. It needs to shed its skin three times until it sleeps."

Dean frowned. "How do they know that?"

Bobby turned the page. "Seems every now and then someone gets away"

"Well, here's hoping the kids that aren't accounted for are busy trying to get away"

Sam pursed his lips. "Chances are they're already dead" he read a little further, then ran his hand through his hair. "This guy writes like Yoda, seriously. I thought dad's journal was cryptic"

Dean raised a brow in an unasked question.

"So. Look. Basically, it says here that the village that survived the attack had three elders that had travelled over many a mountain and..anyway, a long way, and they had survived, or been rescued, the professor wasn't able to find out which, the previous attack twenty two years prior"

Dean got up and stood behind his brother to read over his shoulder again.

San pointed to the paragraph he was up to before reading aloud again "They told the villages of the signs to expect as they believed the next attack would occur in their village. And they had found a way to ward the creature off."

Bobby looked up when Sam stopped speaking. He watched both bothers as they quietly read, but neither said anything.

"All right, I'll bite. What was the way to ward the creature off?"

Dean looked over at Bobby. "He doesn't say"

Bobby frowned. "Well, that was helpful"

Sam leaned back, nearly bumping into Dean as he did so. Dean stepped back and resumed his seat. "The professor wasn't at home. He only emailed me part of the dissertation; he'll send me more in a day or so. He did give some details on how to predict where it will strike again"

Dean flicked through his book, going back to a passage he'd flicked through earlier. "Says the same thing here, too"

Bobby looked at both of the boys, his expression frustrated. "Do I have to pound it outta you?"

Dean screwed his face up. "It circles its intended hunting ground about a day earlier, laying down a trail of urine to mark its area"

"Disgusting" Bobby also screwed his face up.

"Animals can smell it. Horses and cattle are frightened by it. It can't be detected by humans" Sam added. "The elders that travelled to the village rode asses" Dean snickered "and they used them to find the trail that had marked the village as the next hunting ground"

"So, we need to get our asses into gear on this one"

"Not funny Dean"

"Well, it'll be your ass on the line"

Sam rolled his eyes "Still not funny"

Dean grinned ear to ear. "Bobby's ass can do the job"

Bobby just shook his head and got up to check their lunch. "Glad to see yer feeling better"

Dean winked. "Yeah, my ass is great!" He stood, swiping a hand across his forehead. "I'll just hit the head before lunch"

Sam watched him walk out and then smiled at Bobby. "Coming here was a great idea"

Bobby frowned back at the younger man. "Yeah, it was, but there's something still not right with him"

Sam pursed his lips. "You saw the sweat on his face? Yeah, me too. But he seems to be feeling better"

Bobby shrugged. "What's the bet he's throwin' up?"

Sam looked worried, then got up from the table and quietly walked to the bathroom. He stood outside the door and sure enough, he could hear Dean vomiting.

After a few moments the toilet flushed, the sink ran and then Dean opened the door, getting a start at seeing his brother standing there. "What the hell, Sammy?"

Sam just looked at him, head tilted, forehead creased, but said nothing.

Dean knew straight away Sam had heard him, so he just furrowed his own brow in mock anger and pushed passed. "Something wrong with a little privacy?" he muttered as he stormed back into the kitchen.

Bobby was cutting a large serve of lasagne and slopping it onto a plate. He looked up as Dean entered. "How hungry are yah?" he asked and slid the plate to Dean's seat.

"That looks about right" Dean snarled and sat heavily. Sam leaned against the bench and Bobby exchanged a glance with him, his fear confirmed.

The capped hunter cut a serve each for himself and Sam then sat, a fork playing with his food.

"I bin thinkin'"

Dean looked up from his meal but didn't answer.

Sam pulled out his chair and sat, picking at his food, worry still lining his face.

Bobby pointed his fork at Dean. "You aint bin right since that Taggi clocked you"

Dean glared. "Bobby…"

Bobby cut him off "Now son, hear me out" he reached over and pulled Sam's computer closer. "I'm wondering if that thing did something, like poison you, or infect you"

Dean dropped his fork. "Well, that's my appetite gone"

"Who you tryin' to fool? I don't think you've kept much down since Ted's"

Dean pushed his chair back. "I got food poisoning, or a bug, that's all. Leave it"

Sam nodded. "I think Bobby may be right. It's been long enough that your fever should have broken, but you're still sweating, aren't you?"

Dean hooded his eyes but didn't answer.

Sam manoeuvred the computer between him and Bobby, and started to tap on the keys.

"That could be it" Bobby said, pointing to something on the screen.

"That could be what?" Dean asked.

Bobby looked up at Dean. Sam read a little further, and frowned. He, too, looked up at Dean.

"The Taggi's blood is poisonous, in large doses it can kill"

Dean folded his arms and leaned back. "I didn't get any blood on me. The thing hit me from behind, I went down, no fight. Can't see how it got blood on me"

Bobby shrugged. "It had to haul yer heavy ass out into the storage room. Mighta nicked itself, scratched it's hand, or sumthin'. But yer showin' the right symptoms"

Sam swallowed his mouthful and traced the paragraph with his finger. "Fever, chills, headache, vomiting, then if the dose was large, diarrhoea, hallucinations, seizures and death"

"I aint got , diarrhoea, hallucinations or seizures, and I aint dead"

"So, you got a small dose, then" Bobby forked a large helping of lasagne into his mouth, noticing Dean drop his eyes as if the site of someone eating was turning his stomach.

"So, what's the cure?"

Sam frowned. "Still looking" he muttered, and silence fell as both he and Bobby continued to read, both eating at the same time.

Dean got up and grabbed a glass of water, and with his back turned to the others swallowed a mouthful of Tylenol. He ran an arm across his head, the sweat had started to drip down his cheeks. Great, friggin' monster blood making him sick.

"Dean?" Sam called.

He scrubbed his hand over his mouth, breathed deep and composed himself before turning.

"What?"

"I can't find a cure, here, but I think it just kinda works itself out of your system after a while."

"And from what we're readin' here, I'd say you got a tiny dose at best" Bobby answered.

Sam wiped his mouth on a napkin. "Ah, maybe you should stay here while me and Bobby take care of this Zaltys. Rest up till you feel better"

Dean rolled his eyes. "I'm fine. As long as I'm not gonna turn into an Ellen-thing, or give birth to Godzilla or something, you said yourself, it's just gonna wear off"

Bobby frowned. "We don't need to be worrying about you while we're on this hunt"

"Then _don't_" Dean pushed away from the bench and sat back down at the table. "Stop worrying about me. I'm peachy. No problem. So I toss my cookies a bit. No big. Chances are that's the last time I'll barf anyway"

Sam tapped his foot nervously. "And the nightmares?"

"Christ sake, Sam!" Dean exploded and stormed off.

"Too far?" Sam turned to Bobby.

"Maybe just a tad"

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><p><em><strong>AN...next chapter hopefully soon. Reviews do heaps for my motivation!**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N...happy thanksgiving from Australia... especially to you, Branchsuper!**_

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><p>Sam had found Dean in the garage, where he'd hooked a large trailer to the SUV, ready to load the snow mobiles on it.<p>

Sam didn't speak to him, he just loaded the car with supplied they'd packed from the pantry, along with their bags.

When he was done he turned and leaned back against the giant black vehicle and watched his brother check all the snow cats for fuel, making sure they started and had no obvious problems.

Finally Dean drove them onto the trailer where Sam helped him secure them all, neither brother speaking while this was done.

Bobby came down the stairs talking on the cell, thanking what must have been the home owner.

"We got snow suits and boots, if they fit, and all the food we need. Ready to go?"

Dean looked towards his Impala. "I got the weapons stowed in the back of the SUV. Anything else we may need?"

"Nope. All good. Though we coulda used the horse for that horse drawn. Mighta helped us locate this thing" Bobby tossed something at Dean.

The hunter caught it and turned it around to see what it was. He looked back at Bobby, one brow raised.

Bobby just turned and shut the stairway door and opened the garage door. Sam leaned over to his brother. "What is it? What did Bobby give you?"

Dean handed the bottle to his brother. It was anti nausea medication.

Sam shrugged and handed it back without commenting. Best he not make a big deal of anything, he decided.

They bundled into the roomy vehicle and Dean carefully steered it out of the garage, Bobby standing by to close the door and hide the remote back in its hidey hole.

Dean waited for Bobby, flicking through the various radio stations to avoid talking.

Bobby climbed in beside him. "You set the alarms? Don't want anyone thinking my baby is there for the taking"

Bobby slammed is door. "Safe and sound, boy. Place is a fortress"

They drove in relative silence for a while, Dean occasionally changing stations on the radio when he didn't like a song, or they travelled out of range of that particular station.

Sam sat in the back, his computer on, searching for any information he could on the creature they were about to confront.

Bobby just sat, looking ahead, not speaking. He didn't mind travelling in silence. It was better than travelling with arguments, so he chose to say nothing.

At least for now.

X

X

X

X

Sally accepted the steaming coffee mug from the nice police woman and pulled her blanket around herself, only the hand holding the cup peeking through.

She breathed in the steam, her tears dropping into the black liquid unchecked.

They had to be all right. If anything happened to Dean…or Mark…

She didn't know how she'd survive.

It was late afternoon and so far no one had found any survivors, or the thing that had attacked them. The reporters were still hanging around, hoping for any breaks they could rush to air for the evening news, and hunters had started turning up to bag what they believed was a large rogue bear.

Or Bigfoot. Or a mutant, depending on what story she overheard.

Either way, she was getting no closer to finding out what happened to her men.

"Dear God" she whispered to herself "Just let them be okay. Let them be hiding, or lost, or even unconscious, but not…not….just let them be okay"

A gruff looking man came over and sat beside her. He placed a hand on her blanket covered knee. She looked at him with alarm.

"Who the hell are you?" she practically growled at him.

"I'm the answer to yer prayers, darlin'. I'm gonna find that pretty hubby of yers"

The police woman that had given Sally the coffee came over. "Roy? Leave that lady the hell alone"

The man got up and huffed off. "I'm so sorry about that. We seem to have every drunk, crackpot, psychic and weirdo either here, or heading here, since your story went to air. Do you want to come into one of the offices? It'll at least screen you from the loonies"

Sally pulled up her blanket and followed the cop into one of the offices. They had turned the local information centre into a base of operations. The building had several offices, a great coffee machine and plenty of computers, telephones and equipment that they might need.

It was also joined to the local tourist office, and had access to snow mobiles, all terrain vehicles, and a helipad.

The police woman settled Sally into a small glass walled office in a row of glass walled offices, a two seat sofa comfortable enough for now. The office on her right was larger, and had the people that had survived the attack in there, all five of them, some sobbing, some stunned and silent, as what looked like two suited government agents were interviewing them.

The police woman opened the door to that office and one of the men nodded, and they turned to follow her back to Sally.

"These gentlemen are from Homeland Security, they want to ask you a couple of questions, if you're up to it?"

Sally nodded and the two men entered, their faces kind, sympathetic expressions firmly in place.

They pulled two small chairs from the desk and turned them to sit and face Sally.

One had a note pad and a pen. "Hello Mrs Daniels, my name is Sam, this is Dean.." a loud sob escaped Sally and she covered her mouth with her hand.

"I'm sorry, my husband…my husband is also Dean"

The two agents looked at each other and the back at her. "I am sorry." The one called Sam gave her the most sympathetic lost puppy look.

She nodded and the other man, the one with her husband's name, grabbed her a handful of tissues from a box on the desk.

"Your husband, he was an experienced out doors man?" Sam asked her.

"Yes, he and his brother, Mark, they grew up in this area. No one knows it better than them"

"I'm guessing if anyone knows how to survive out there, then it'd be those two" Dean gave her a comforting smile. "They're probably be holed up, waiting for a break to make their way back"

Sally nodded, and while she didn't quite believe them, she was comforted by the fact that they were trying to put her at ease.

"Um, Mrs Daniels?"

"Call me Sally"

"Ah, yeah, Sally. Can you tell us what you saw out there?"

She sipped her coffee, her eyes down cast. "I didn't really see anything"

Dean leaned forward. "See, here's the thing. We think you did. We just don't think you want anyone to think you're crazy"

She looked up at him.

"We think you saw the creature that attacked up there, but it's like nothing you've ever seen before" the other man, Sam added, his face still a mask of sympathy.

"Homeland Security" Sally frowned. "Don't you guys go after terrorists?"

Dean gave her a gentle smile. "Terrorists can use all kinds of weapons. Including genetically modified snakes and alligators"

Sally looked shocked.

Sam nodded. "They can make them pretty much into anything they like, and we're worried they're testing one out now in the mountains before they let it loose in a big city"

"I did see something" she spoke very quietly. "I didn't get a real good look, but I saw something"

Sam reached forward and gently touched her hand, just briefly. She looked up at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "I don't know what it was"

"That's okay. Can you tell us what it looked like?"

Sally locked eyes with Sam. "It was, gosh, um, like a kind of alligator head, with four, at least four, maybe more, long arms with these huge claws, and it's body was like a snake, only not smooth and sleek like a snake, it was more like, I don't know, furry?" She looked away, swiping the tears from her eyes. "You must think me a mad woman"

"Not at all" Dean assured her. "We told you, we believe genetically altered creatures are being used, and you have confirmed our suspicions. We do need to ask, however that you don't repeat this to anyone else."

She gave him an empty smile. "You don't have to worry about that"

Sam nodded to her and both men stood. "Um, agents?' Sally looked up.

"Do you think there's any hope of my husband and his brother being alive?"

"Of course there is" Dean answered her. "As I said, they're probably just waiting for a time to get out"

Sally sighed. "You don't know those two. If one is hurt, the other would sell his soul to help him. I've never seen two brothers closer than them"

She frowned as the two agents exchanged shocked glances, but they quickly regained their composure.

"Maybe one has been hurt, you know, broke his leg or something, and they're waiting for help. The police said a search and rescue chopper is on its way"

Sally nodded at him. "Why did you look surprised when I said they were close?"

Sam gave her his warm smile again. "Oh, we just know a couple of brothers like that, that's all"

She smiled sadly back at him, and rubbed her stomach. "Well, there's gonna be two more, before too long. I'm expecting twins"

Sam cleared his throat. "Congratulations. I'm sure your husband is fine"

A tear rang down her cheek. "I haven't told Dean yet. We thought we couldn't have kids, and I wanted to wait to make sure everything was okay before…" she swiped the tear and looked back at the men. "Anyway, I'm sure you're right. He'll be fine"

The agents left her to her own thoughts, which were dire. She drained the last of her coffee and sat back on the couch.

She didn't know if she was carrying boys, or girls, or one of each, but she did know that they needed their father.

Sally began to weep quietly, the little office echoing back her soft sobs.

X

The police woman looked up from her makeshift desk as the agents walked passed her. She smoothed a hand through her hair and smiled her most winning smile at these two very handsome men.

"All good?" she asked them.

"Yeah" the fair haired one answered. "Thanks for that"

"Is there anything else I can assist you with?" She lowered her voice, hoping it sounded as sexy as these guys were making her feel.

The taller man pulled a card out of his pocket and handed it to her. She made sure her fingers caressed his as she took it.

He gave her an appreciate smile and tipped his head a little. "I'm sure you'll call if you think of anything else" he told her.

She blushed and battered her eyelashes as they turned to leave.

Some of the reporters had noticed the suited men and rushed up to them to see if they had any story to tell but the men waved them away.

"Just using the bathroom, nothing to do with us" she heard the taller man say, and that was enough to get them out of the building with no hangers on.

X

Dean tugged his tie and unbuttoned his shirt as he walked to the car. "Brothers selling their souls?" he looked up at Sam.

"Bit close to home, that one"

"And you, getting all school girly with the lady cop!" Dean teased.

Sam turned to his brother, glad there was no more anger towards him.

"Well, someone's gotta pick up the reins now you've retired" he joked back, and Dean rolled his eyes.

"She just had really poor taste. Or was really desperate. Maybe she just likes to help the disadvantaged. Or has a thing for mutants. Maybe she likes girly boys"

Sam let his brother go on, happy that he seemed to be in a better mood. Bobby was standing at the car flicking through a paper as they walked up.

"Anything helpful?" he asked as they approached.

"Yeah, the pretty cop lady thought I was better looking than Dean" Sam told him, and Dean grinned back as he poked him in the ribs.

"Whatever, sasquatch. Just open the car, I'm freezing my ass off"

Sam pressed the remote unlock and Dean climbed in to the passenger seat. Bobby looked up at Sam. "He seems better"

"Or he's pretending he is, either way, I'm thinking it's a good thing. Let's get inside and go over this"

Sam took the back seat and Bobby climbed in the driver's side. Sam pulled out his notepad and described the creature to Bobby, as well as Sally, her husband and what she said about brothers.

Bobby just nodded. "Well, sounds like our monster. Check your computer; see if you got any answers back from that professor. We need to find out how to kill this thing before we go traipsing after it"

"Let's get some grub and a room. I'm thinking we're not gonna head out now, it's getting late" Dean huddled into his suit, shivering a little.

Sam leaned over and sat a thick parka on his brother's lap but made sure he didn't look at him. "I could eat, and Dean's right, we don't wanna go out in the snow in the dark" he told Bobby.

Dean pulled the heavy parka on without talking, and Bobby started the car, turning the heater on full blast as he pulled the long vehicle out into the twilight traffic.

Before long they had a room and Sam and Bobby were sitting at the motel table waiting for a pizza delivery while they took stock of the situation.

Dean was on one of the beds, cleaning and checking all of the weapons, including Bobby's, while the other two were hitting the internet and books.

The television blared from the corner and the heat was on so high that Sam kept standing to shed another layer of clothes every few minutes.

"Son, can you turn the heat down, or yer brother's gonna be nekkid before much longer" Bobby turned to Dean.

Dean looked over and shrugged. "We're in snow country. It's cold"

"You've got a fever. Put a jacket on" Bobby replied and stood up to adjust the thermostat. "Take some Tylenol."

Sam turned to face his brother. "Bobby's right. You must still have a fever"

"Sam, we've been over this" Dean felt his anger start to rise. He was feeling much better. Okay, he felt cold, but his stomach was fine, and his head barely pounded any more. Why wouldn't they get off his back?

"No, we haven't been over it. We mentioned it, briefly, and you got pissy" Sam replied, and determined look on his face giving Dean all the clues he needed to foresee that his brother was gonna have this discussion whether he liked it or not.

"Sam…"

"Dean. You're still sick. If you're not up to scratch I don't want you out there in the elements"

Dean looked at Bobby, who just looked back at him, face like stone. "So, what, you're both ganging up on me now?" He stood and pulled his jacket off. "I'm fine. You said yourself the stuff works it's way outta your system. The one thing that _is_ bothering me" he turned to face Sam. "Is _you_, nagging me every five minutes. Makes me buggy about pooping or showering or eating, knowing you're watching my every move. Just back off"

"Dean"

"I mean it, Sam. You're driving me crazy" Dean turned and stormed off into the bathroom.

Sam turned to Bobby. "What should I do?"

Bobby tugged at his beard. "Maybe back off? He's a grown man, Sam, and he says he's fine. You keep pushin' him, yer gonna push him right out the door"

Sam frowned. "Yeah, your right. But if he's still sick.."

"If he's still sick, well, we'll deal with it. Til then, let's just get as much intel as we can on this thing before we go in there"

Sam nodded, his lips pursed. He wasn't happy about it, but Bobby was right. He couldn't bug Dean about it any more, he'd just shut down further and not mention if he really was feeling bad.

Sam heard the shower start up, and in his heart he knew it was Dean just trying to get warm, but he said nothing.

X

X

X

X

Harry scratched his stomach, though he couldn't feel anything through the heavy layers of clothing he was wearing. The dawn sun was shining, the sky as blue as a hooker's eyeshadow, and as it reflected off the frozen lake he was getting hotter and hotter.

He stood up and unzipped his jacket, discarding it beside his little stool. He like ice fishing, even though he pretended it was boring and a tedious chore to his wife, he thought the time alone, in the shadow of the snow capped mountains was about the best thing he'd do over winter.

Within eye shot of his position was about eight other fishermen, all with their own little spots, some with buckets already half full of fish, others, like him, with no luck as yet.

He heard a muffled yell and a crack and looked up. The other men were also looking around, a little confused, but no one seemed to know what the noise was.

Then another yell, and a whumpy crack, and Louis, who was not more than fifteen yards from him disappeared through the ice.

Harry stood and started to run towards the hole. "Thin ice!" he yelled, as everyone stood and started to come towards him.

Strange, he had thought the ice was very thick, but then, it can thin out in places. He heard calling from the other men as they ran and he looked up.

This time the crash was close, and one of the guys fell back as a massive alligator like head burst through, grabbed the fallen man's legs and pulled him through the thick ice.

Harry had not been the only one that had seen this, everyone stopped, as if frozen, and stared at the gaping hole in horror.

Another crash and another man pulled through, and this time everyone started to scream and run, scattering in all directions, fish, gear, everything, forgotten in the flight to safety.

Harry ran until his heart threatened to rip out of his chest, he nearly made land as the ice cracked underneath him and he fell into the gaping jaws of evil.

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><p><em><strong>AN...few days till next chapter, as this is the end of my working week. Please, review? I have over 20 of you that have me on a favorite story alert...maybe, if you **_**do**_** like the story, you could spare me the odd word or two?**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N... it's been raining pretty heavy all day, power's been out...thank god my lap top was fully charged... so I found a way to pass an hour or so, hope you like...**_

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><p>The white stretched on, as far as he could see, and even further. There was only white. Or, really, shades of white. As the ice and snow stretched out to the horizon there were hills, hummocks, rifts, some with shadows and different shades of white, but it was all white.<p>

He looked down at himself.

He was naked.

The blood that had covered him, that had mingled with the sweat and gore from the rack, the blood that had spilled so freely from him, was now freezing against his skin. As he moved it flaked off, brittle shards of red that marred the perfect white.

His feet felt like the knives were cutting him again as they started to freeze. He stepped forward, each step another imprint in the white, the little red flakes of blood like macabre confetti around his feet.

There, something, was that something in the snow?

He moved forward, his shivering so hard that his bones hurt, his teeth rattling together so hard he thought he must have chipped them.

He pulled his freezing feet through the thick snow, towards the thing he could see.

What was it? What could it be? He wrapped his arms around his body in a futile attempt to keep warm.

Cold.

So cold.

Stumbling forward, he fell into the snow, reaching out as he fell to grab the thing he'd seen.

It was a toy soldier.

There, ahead, another one…

He crawled forward, no longer able to feel his feet, his knees so cold it felt like the snow was slicing into him.

Sam's cap.

Sam's cap he'd worn for a whole summer when he was in first grade.

And there, another toy soldier.

And a shoe.

A child's sneaker, covered in blood.

His heart caught in his throat.

Watch Sam. Dad said watch Sam.

Don't leave Sam alone.

Don't leave the motel.

And yet here he was….

Where _was_ he?

He was in hell, wasn't he?

Hadn't he just been strapped to the rack, tortured, sliced, carved, consumed, disemboweled, taunted, mocked….

But, here he was, in the snow, in the cold…

Sam.

There was Sammy's other shoe.

A small boy could not survive in this cold.

Not in this wasteland of frozen nothing.

"Sammy!"

He stood, though it took more than one try, and spun, his legs now numb from the knees down, and when he caught a glimpse of his feet he saw they'd turned black.

"Sam! Sammy! Can you hear me?" He called with all his might; he spun, and called again.

"Sammy!" Where was his brother? Oh god, more blood…too much blood.

Does a young boy's body hold that much blood?

He started to run, following the frozen blood trail.

It felt like he would never get there, that hands were holding him back, trying to pull him away from what he would find, but there was no one there.

Just him, and the blood.

He got a bit further, and there, ahead….

Oh God.

No.

No….

Frozen, crumpled, half coved in a frosty sheet of ice…

"Sammy!" he screamed, his whole heart in the one noun, his soul caught, ripped and tortured in the utterance of that one word.

This time the hands shook him, hard, and someone slapped his face.

What? Who?

"Dean!"

"Son, wake up!"

Two voices, but….what?

Sam shook his brother again, and this time Dean's eyes focused.

"Sammy?" his voice croaked, a tear slipping from his eye.

"Oh God, Sammy" and the younger brother felt the air crush out of him with the force of the embrace.

Bobby took a deep breath and then touched Dean's hand.

"Son? You all right?"

Dean pulled back from hugging his brother, confusion clear on his face.

He looked around, taking in the room, his surroundings, and suddenly he was back in reality, the nightmare gone.

He pulled back and sat against the bed head. "What? I had a dream, is all"

Sam exchanged a loaded glance with Bobby that Dean did not miss. He must've given them a fright this time.

Sam turned back to him, his brow creased with worry. "Fever must've come back. Gave me a bad dream" Dean mumbled.

Knowing that was probably all he would get, Sam nodded. "Yeah. Okay."

He stood, and Bobby walked to the kitchen.

"You were yelling, woke us up. How're you feeling?" Sam ran a hand through his bed mussed hair.

Bobby returned with a handful of Tylenol and a glass of water.

"I'm fine. These will bring the fever down" he swallowed them and drained the water. "I'm fine, Sam. Go back to sleep"

Bobby shrugged. Sam nodded, his lips thin. "If you're sure?"

Dean didn't answer, just rolled over and tucked his arm under his pillow, his fingers comforted as they curled around the grip of his knife.

Sam again looked a Bobby, but the older man touched a finger to his lips, and shook his head.

Leave it be, his expression said.

Bobby knew there was something going on, but he also knew the middle of the night wasn't the time to pick at this one.

Sam gave the slightest nod, then crawled back into his own bed.

Despite his fears to the contrary he was asleep within minutes.

Dean lay there for a while, listening to him softly snore.

It was all he needed, right now.

X

X

X

X

Sam woke with a back popping stretch and sat up. The morning light was just starting to filter in through the motel window. Damn, he'd wanted them all up before dawn.

Dean's nightmare must've thrown his internal clock off, because he's woken before dawn every day since…well, for a while.

He stumbled out of bed and slapped Bobby's foot as he passed to wake him, then turned on the lights.

Dean wasn't in bed.

The sheets were mussed, and Sam had thought he'd heard him snoring as he himself drifted off to sleep, but when he bent to feel the bed he found it cold.

Bobby sat up and looked at Sam. "Bathroom?"

Sam ran to the separate bathroom, they had a suite it was across the large room, and he slammed the door open.

His brother was there, asleep, his arms wrapped around the john, the stench of vomit surrounding him.

He awoke at the sound of the door hitting the wall, his face creased from the seat, his expression both confused and embarrassed.

"Aw, Dean, how long have you been here?"

Dean rolled back until he leaned against the wall. Bobby joined Sam in the doorway, his face grim.

"Dean?" Sam reached forward to help his brother up but he slapped him away and stood on his own.

"Another nightmare, and now this?"

"Stop the puppy dog eyes, Sam, this is a good thing."

"In what way is this good? You wake up screaming in the middle of the night, then fall asleep, or pass out, while you're throwing up everything you ate in the last twenty four hours?"

Dean walked over to the shower and turned it on. "Means I'm getting more of that Taggi goo outta me."

Sam's mouth dropped open.

"Now, are you gonna watch me shower?" Dean snarked and started to peel off his clothes. Sam turned and looked at Bobby, who just shrugged.

"He's got a point"

Shaking his head, Sam stormed out of the bathroom. He whirled to Bobby.

"Clearly he's still sick. I don't think we should take him out while he's like this. You coulda backed me up"

Bobby started to pull clothes and his toiletry bag from his duffle. "He says he's fine, Sam. He may be right, he's just getting the shit outta his system."

"And you're okay with this?'

Bobby sat back down on the bed. "You seriously think we could go on this hunt and he'd just say here, layin' round to rest and recover?"

Sam tapped his leg in frustration.

"No, I don't, but that nightmare, Bobby, and he had one in the car"

Bobby nodded. "Somethin's up, I agree, but I caint see what we can do shorta tyin' him up"

"We need him to stay here while we finish the hunt"

"He _is_ gettin' better, apart from last night, and he coulda just thrown up once, for all we know." Bobby scratched his head. "You gotta stop worrying. He says he's fine, well…we just keep an eye on him and make sure we pump him full of Tylenol and the anti nausea meds, and pretend we agree with him"

Sam smiled at Bobby. "I should've realized you were as worried as I was"

"Son, _no one_ is as worried as you. But I'm damn close. I just realize that he'll be a little more open if we stop nagging and motherin' him"

Dean opened the bathroom door as if on cue and eyed them suspiciously. He stood for a moment, threadbare towel around his waist, then made his way to his bed.

"You better have left some hot water" Bobby growled and took his turn in the bathroom.

Sam grabbed his own duffle and started pulling clothes out. "Um, Dean?"

"Enough, Sam!" Dean whirled to him, his face red with anger.

"I was just gonna ask if we're stopping for food or getting drive through, coz I'd really prefer to get a move on"

Dean frowned. "Drive through's fine, I guess" he muttered, and turned to get dressed.

Sam turned on the television while he waited his turn in the bathroom. Flicking through the channels he found the early morning news bulletin. There were no new developments from either of the recent massacre sites, though they had killed a massive bear they believed responsible for the first one a few weeks ago that Bobby had found in the weekend newspaper.

"Look at the size of that thing" Sam told his bother.

Dean pulled a chair from the table and sat to do up his boots. "Freaking ginormous. Poor thing. Had nothin' to do with this, now Yogi's dog food"

Sam opened his computer just as Bobby exited the bathroom. He was still trying to play like everything was normal, and while he knew Dean saw right through him, he seemed happy to play along.

"Hey, Dean? Can you check for emails from the professor while I shower?"

Dean swung his chair to the table and pulled the computer over. Sam made eye contact with Bobby and a silent message passed between the two.

Dean scrolled through the emails and after a few moments Bobby placed a cup of instant coffee in front of him, and sat a handful of pills next to it. Dean frowned at the pills then looked over at Bobby, but the hunter had his back turned, shoving his dirty clothes and books back into his bag.

Dean took all of the pills and sipped the scalding coffee. Hey, he did still have a headache, and his stomach was doing flip flops. And he had a fever. But other than that, he felt fine, and he wished they'd stop fussin' over him.

He was sure that this crap in his system would work its way out before too long, and he was damned if they were gonna leave him behind while they took on this salty snake thing.

Ah, here was the email they'd been waiting for.

"Bobby?" Dean opened the email as his friend leaned over his shoulder. Sam came out of the bathroom, dressed and freshly shaved.

"We got the reply we been waitin' for" Bobby told him.

They all leaned over to read, and their faces were grim.

X

X

X

X

X

Sherry Anne yawned and stretched. She realized she was using someone's lap as a pillow.

She sat up abruptly and was relieved to find it was Holly's.

Holly woke up to find she had used Alec's lap as a pillow, and he in turn had used Troy's.

Troy has his head on a rolled up hunk of clothing.

Their amnesiac professor was awake, he was shuffling his was back to the teenagers. They had designated the 'shed skin' area as the bathroom, and one by one had all taken turns to use it. Sherry-Anne figured that's where he was coming back from.

"How're you doing, Professor?" she asked him.

He gave her a sad smile. "Still no one home upstairs. And I feel…" he stopped, just watched the kids waking up for a moment.

"I feel like something's missing, like half of me isn't here"

Sherry-Anne stood up. "Maybe the people you were with?"

The professor shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know, maybe family? It feels like" he touched his stomach. "It feels like my guts are missing"

This made the blonde girl smile. "So, let me see, we've got an amnesiac, gutless professor, two cheerleaders and a couple of teenage jocks. I'd say we've this thing licked"

Alec got up and turned to offer Troy and Holly a hand to their feet. "When you say it like that, we sound like we got no hope"

"Well, we got enough candy bars for breakfast, so if anyone's hungry?" the red haired man handed the kids a bar each.

Alec unwrapped his chocolate and turned to look out of the cave mouth. "The snow overnight has covered up our markers. Unless someone's actually climbing up this cliff face they're not gonna see us"

The professor stood behind him. "You guys know what this means, don't you?"

Holly grabbed Alec's hand. "Yeah, I think we all kinda figured this one out"

Troy screwed up his face. "I didn't. What are you all talking about?"

Sherry-Anne placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We have to find a way out"

Troy went white. "No way!"

"Troy.."

"No! Don't _Troy _me! That fucking thing is back there, and if we go looking around, it's gonna kill us all!"

Sherry-Anne looked to the professor.

"Son, if we stay here, that thing could find us, and there's no way to escape except.." he turned and dramatically looked out of the hole. "I can think of better ways to bite the big one"

"Yeah, well, if we go back looking through the caves, what's to stop the big one biting us?"

Alec pulled his hood a bit tighter around his face. "Geez, Troy, we're all scared, but grow a pair. If that thing doesn't find us we'll end up freezing to death, or starving, or I don't know what. But I do know we can't stay here"

"Well, that's decided, then" Holly stamped her feet to get the circulation going. "I need to pee, we can get moving after that."

Alec nodded. "Well, that's the only way we can go, so let's all head off. Also, not the only one that needs to pee"

The professor led the way, followed by the girls with Alec and Troy bringing up the rear.

The little flashlight was still holding its own, and they used this to light the way.

This was the first time they'd ventured further than the shed skin chamber, and no one really knew what lay beyond that. The first time they'd come this way they had been in a state of blind panic.

As the moved forward everyone had become very quiet, Sherry-Anne holding the professor's free hand, and her other clasped Holly tight, Holly held Alec and Alec held onto Troy's. Under the circumstances the boys didn't even blink twice at the thought of holding hands, though both had secretly sworn to never tell anyone once they'd gotten out.

A few hundred yards on and the passage came to a fork.

Sherry-Anne leaned forward, squinting into the dimness, the moss and flashlight only giving hints to what was actually there.

"I'm guessing you kids came from the right if you thought you were running in a straight line, this passage was probably missed in your panic"

"I think you're right, professor" Sherry-Anne agreed.

"Well, it's the way we go, then" Alec agreed, and they cautiously started to move into the cave, single file, the professor first, shining his torch around to try and gauge the danger.

"It's a lot darker in here, not much moss"

"Guys" called Troy from behind.

'"Dude, I said man up, it's just a little bit darker, that's all, there's still moss, just not as much" Alec shook his head.

"No, guys, I think I hear something. Do you think it could be another survivor, like the professor, here?"

They all turned to face Troy, who squinted at the flashlight beam hitting his face. He was the only one still in the other passage, and he leaned forward, on hand in Alec's, the other on the side of the cave.

"What did it sound like?"

"Well.."

A massive set of jaws snapped Troy around the middle, cutting him in half. The large alligator-like head flipped the lower torso of the boy up into the air then caught it, swallowing the young footballer's severed body whole.

It reached down and grabbed up the top half of the boy, who was still blinking in confusion, everything happening so fast that his brain had not registered what had happened.

Alec fell backwards, knocking both Holly and Sherry-Anne onto their rear ends. The professor leaned forward and pulled the back of the two girls' jackets, getting them on their feet. He grabbed Alec's hood and lifted, Alec scrambling up and backwards at the same time.

"RUN' commanded the older man, pushing Sherry-Anne in front of him. He turned as Alec grabbed Holly's hand she stood there stunned, frozen in shock. Alec started to run, pulling the girl out of her stupor.

Alec grabbed the professor's outstretched hand and they actually made several steps before the Saltys grabbed Holly buy the legs, jerking Alec and the professor backwards onto the hard cave floor.

Sherry-Anne stopped running as Holly's screams cut through her, the pain and fear the screams carried shattering any coherent thought she may have still had. The sound echoed off the cave walls then abruptly stopped. She heard the professor curse and then the pounding of feet.

Someone grabbed her, a handful of jacket clasped as they ran past and pulled her along with them into the frozen darkness, the sound of bones breaking and flesh being consumed spurring them even faster.

They ran without stopping, Sherry-Anne so shocked and disoriented that she had no idea who was with how, or how many ran beside her.

She just ran.

And ran.

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><p><em><strong>AN... well...I only want one thing from you. I don't ask for much, I think...just a review. I'll send a pony to the best one! **_


	11. Chapter 11

**_A/N...yeah, this is gonna be a long story... hope that's okay..._**

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><p>Dean had reluctantly given up the keys to Sam and now sat pouting in the back of the SUV as his brother maneuvered the large vehicle and the long wide trailer. Bobby was outside the car, directing the way through the snow ridden car park.<p>

"I'm not an invalid" Dean grouched, but Sam ignored him.

Finally getting the difficult vehicle around he stopped for Bobby to get in and the drove off.

There were not many places they could grab a drive through breakfast, and even fewer that could accommodate the large vehicle so eventually Sam just pulled over so they could order take away.

Bobby was happy enough to place the orders while the brothers sat in the car, the motor still running to keep the heat on.

"Dean"

No answer.

Sam swiveled around to look at his brother, who was looking out of the window.

"Dean"

"Sammy, just leave it"

Sam ran a hound through his hair.

"The dreams you're having. They're of me, aren't they?"

Dean just sat and looked out of the window, not moving.

A tear spilled down one cheek but Sam said nothing.

Dean swiped it away, though he didn't look at his brother.

"There were times, in hell, when they'd pull you off the rack, they'd throw you into any situation that they could torture you, or manipulate you…."

He turned and looked at Sam, his focus was far away. "For the first few years they would leave me naked, straight after getting my guts ripped put, they'd leave me in this wilderness, just, I dunno, snow and ice as far as you can see. Nothing else"

He took in a ragged breath. "And I'd look, I'd search, and I'd find you, always you, sometimes you were a baby, or a little kid, or like you are now, but you'd be dead, cut up and frozen, or sometimes still warm, but always dead.."

Sam felt his lip quiver with emotion as he watched his brother suffer.

"Then as_ I_ started to freeze, I'd be back on the rack, and it would all start over again."

Dean turned and looked out of the window as another tear scrolled its way through the freshly shaved cheek.

"Why are you dreaming this now?" Sam asked, his voice not much more than a whisper.

"Dunno. Maybe when I found out this hunt was in the snow I started to think about it, and the fever made it worse? Don't know, don't care. Just wish it would stop"

They both jumped as Bobby opened the front passenger door, Dean angrily wiping the tears away.

Bobby noticed the somber mood, he looked from one brother to another as he climbed in the car, but he didn't comment.

Instead he handed coffee to Dean and Sam, and a wrapped bundle of toast to Dean. The hunter just looked at it and placed it on the seat beside him.

Sam pulled out as snow started to gently fall, and Bobby opened up the newspaper.

"Looks there mighta been another one"

Sam propped his coffee into the cup holder and pulled his breakfast burger out of the wrapper. "What's it say?"

"This one is a bit different. Came up outta a frozen lake, crashed through several feet a ice and snapped off fisherman one by one."

"How do we know it's the same thing?" Sam asked around a mouthful of food.

"Says it was a massive alligator"

"Same area?"

Bobby folded the paper to make it easier to handle while he juggled his breakfast. He looked across at Sam and then at the rear-view. Sam got the hint and looked back to check on his brother.

"About two hundred miles away, still, it's close enough to be the same thing, seein' as how all the attacks are within two to three hundred miles apart"

Sam frowned at the sight of Dean, coffee forgotten in the cup holder, breakfast going cold on the seat beside him as he stared blankly out of the side window.

"Ah, Dean?" he called out.

Dean flicked his eyes over to catch Sam's in the mirror.

"You need some more Tylenol?"

Dean didn't answer, he just went back to staring out of the window.

Sam glanced at Bobby and saw the same amount of worry and concern that he was feeling. Bobby looked up to make eye contact and shrugged.

"Anyways, closest I can find to the place I think this thing is holed up is a bunch of cave formations in the highest peaks…here" he held a map for Sam to see.

"Access is gonna be a bitch"

"Well, we got the snow cats"

Sam nodded and turned his full attention to the road, which was very quickly becoming snow bound.

Dean had not stirred, he just continued to stare out of the window. After an hour or so Bobby leaned over and placed a rolled up sweater between Dean's sleeping head and the cold window.

No one spoke.

X

X

X

Sherry-Anne thought her lungs would burst through her chest any minute, but she couldn't stop. Whoever was dragging her was still racing ahead, the dimly lit caves a weaving maze of sharp edges and stumbling loose rocks.

After what seemed and age they came to a fork and they hit this, arms outstretched, moving too fast to turn.

Someone smacked into her and she slumped to the ground, a desperate, oxygen deprived sob escaping her.

"Oh God, I'm sorry" it was Alec's voice. "I was just running blind, I'm sorry"

"Hey, guys, it's okay" The professor was right there, and he grabbed Sherry-Anne up into his arms and hugged her.

She sobbed silently as he held her. Alec also started to cry, so the red haired man held out his arms and comforted both the frightened children, allowing them to catch their breath while he tried to figure out which way to go.

He let the teenagers go after a moment and flashed his light down one passage, then the other.

"Up or down?" he quietly asked the darkness. "Which is the right way?"

Alec stood beside him. "Down"

"Why down, son?"

Alec shrugged. "We're in a mountain, so up means we're going up the mountain, down means we might get closer to getting out"

"Down might also be the way that thing goes to get in and out" the professor glumly replied. "But I think you're right, we gotta try something, so down it is"

He held his hand out to the blonde teenager, half expecting that he would have to man handle her to her feet, that she'd be near paralyzed with shock, but to his surprise Sherry-Anne stood determinedly and squared her little shoulders.

"All right then. Let's get a move on" she accepted the older man's hand and they took the right hand passage, the floor a gentle, winding slope down into – or out of, the bowels of the mountain.

They set a brisk pace, the uneven floor making any faster progress difficult, but the three survivors attempted to move as fast as they could. Being stuck in the cave with the monster was a great incentive to keep them going.

Sherry-Anne was doing her best not to think of what happened to her friends. Every time her mind led back to the moment she squeezed the professor's hand tighter. He seemed to understand, and gave a little squeeze back.

They stumbled this way for hours, tired, thirsty, sweating despite the cold, until Alec fell with a muffled cry.

Sherry-Anne and the professor turned to help him up, and Alec started to scramble backwards.

"Unh! Unh! Unh!" he groaned as he rubbed a hand across his face in horror.

The professor shone his light to see what had upset the young man.

The bright, narrow beam hit the spine and pelvis of a recently deceased person, blood and gore still painted over the bones. The head lay close by, but all skin had been torn off, just glimpses of bare bone and muscle visible.

"It's come through here" hissed Sherry-Anne.

Alec managed to regain his feet, sliding his back up along the cave wall. "It's not….it isn't…"

"It's a grown man" whispered the red haired man back to him. "It's not your friends. Let's move on. I'm sure that it can't have passed us, there's been no adjoining passages apart from the fork earlier."

Alec still scrubbed at his face, one hand stretched out to grab Sherry-Anne's. The professor took her other hand and they moved a little slower, at first becoming alarmed and upset every time they had to step over another body part, but after dong this dozens of times they once again fell silent, only occasionally warning one of the others about a large bone or difficult spot.

Once again they came to a decision when the cave split into two.

"Well guys, what do you think? Up or down?"

Alec wrapped his arm around Sherry-Anne's shoulders and leaned forward to look into the two passages.

"How about we keep going down? May as well stick with our first decision"

Sherry-Anne sneezed. "I think down, too…and I think I have a fever"

The professor pulled off his glove and felt her head. "I can't tell. Even with gloves my hands are too cold. Okay then" he slipped his glove back on "We need to get out of here. Now. I'm not letting anything else happen to any of you. We'll all get out of here together. Agreed?"

"Agreed!" the teenagers chimed in unison.

He took the young girl's hand and started off, Alec grabbing her free hand as they marched forward, filled with more bravado than they actually felt. The cavern led them steadily downward, the floor covered with less free rocks than before, and there were fewer bones and body parts to avoid so they made quite good progress.

This time it was the professor who fell, he fell heavily, dragging Sherry-Anne and Alec down with him.

Alec reeled back, his lip split and one eye momentarily blinded. He grabbed for Sherry-Anne, her nose bleeding, her forehead scraped.

The professor was unmoving.

"Professor? Are you okay?" Sherry-Anne pulled his arm and grabbed the tiny flashlight, shining it onto his face.

The red haired man had taken the brunt of the fall on his forehead, he had a large gash and was unconscious.

"God, Alec, is he breathing?"

Alec didn't answer.

Sherry-Anne turned to him, her flashlight hitting his white face.

He looked at her, then back at what had given him such a fright.

The cavern opened up, they hadn't noticed as they were marching forward, but it was quite a large chamber, and they had been tracing the left wall. To the right was a pile of bodies, some new, some rather old.

The professor had tripped over the legs of a woman, her body propped up against the pile of human remains.

"There must be at least fifty people here" whispered Alec.

He had been leaning on the leg of the woman as he looked at the pile, and jumped back with a cry as the leg moved.

"What is it?" hissed Sherry-Anne.

"I think she's alive" Alec reached forward and touched her arm.

The woman was warm, and there was a pulse. It was faint, but it was there.

Sherry-Anne touched the woman's face and gasped when her eyes flew open.

"My god, lady, can you speak?" Alec asked her.

She turned her eyes to the young boy, then looked back at Sherry-Anne.

"I'm alive?" she whispered. "How…that thing…"

Sherry-Anne tried to pull the woman away from the pile of bodies, Alec realized what she was doing and helped drag her across the cave to prop her up against the wall.

They then grabbed the professor and moved him next to the woman.

"Lady? Can you tell me your name?" Sherry-Anne whispered.

"Erna. My name is Erna"

"Did that thing drag you here? The monster thing?" Alec asked her.

The woman struggled to sit a bit straighter. "I…I was on a trail riding group. Something…I don't know….something attacked us. My horse threw me and I got knocked out. That was the last thing I remember."

The professor groaned and his eyes fluttered open. He swiped at the blood dripping down his face, and looked with blood shot eyes at the teenagers, then the woman propped up beside him.

"What happened?"

"You fell over this lady, Erna. Knocked yourself out" Alec explained.

The professor looked back at the woman.

"I know you" the woman whispered. "You and your brother led the trail riding group"

The professor looked at her, his face scrunched with confusion.

"He's got amnesia" Sherry-Anne explained. "Didn't know his own name till he found his I.D."

"You said I had a brother?"

Erna gave him a weak smile. "There was a lady, as well. Pretty"

"Any of this sound familiar?" asked Alec.

The professor shrugged. "No. So I got a brother, maybe a sister as well?"

Erna didn't reply. Her eyes had closed.

Sherry-Anne pulled off her glove and felt for a pulse at the woman's neck. "She's alive, maybe she just passed out"

The professor pulled himself to his feet. "We should check if anyone else is alive" What he didn't want to say, was 'we should check if my brother and sister are there'.

If they were, would he recognize them?

Sherry-Anne sneezed again. "Be quick, then. We need to move before that thing comes back" she sneezed again, and again.

"Jeez Louise, you must be getting sick" Alec gave Sherry-Anne a gentle slap on the back. "You're right, we need to get moving. I'll help the proff check the carnage, you sit with Emma"

"Erna" Sherry-Anne corrected him, and sneezed again.

The professor stood after a few moments. "Most of these people have been dead a little while, they're near frozen. I don't think anyone else is alive'

Alec reached down to help Sherry-Anne to her feet. "What are we going to do about the lady…we can't leave her here"

Sherry-Anne turned back to her. "I don't know if she's hurt bad or not. And you" she turned to the professor. "You've been knocked out twice now, that can't be good"

"None of us can stay here, and we can't afford to wait till we're feeling better" The professor moved back to the bodies. "I'm going to try to find her another coat, maybe a hat and heavier gloves. Then you try to wake her. We must get out of here, and I don't want to leave anyone else behind"

Alec placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "You didn't leave them behind, dude"

The professor nodded. "I know. It's just.." He sighed. "This is just such a bad, weird, strange situation, I don't know what that thing is, I don't even know my own name. And now I have three people depending on me"

Sherry-Anne sneezed again. "No, sir, we are depending on _each other_. We are going to get out of here, and we are going to do it by helping _each other_'

The red haired man smiled at her. "You're a real little fire cracker, aren't you?"

Sherry-Anne smiled back, in spite of the situation they were in. "I guess so. Just don't make me think of anything other than getting out. Deal?"

"Deal" both Alec and the professor answered.

X

X

X

X

Dean awoke alone. The car was cool, not yet cold, and he had two heavy parkas over him to keep him warm. He stretched and sat up, a little confused. He had to scrub at the window to remove the fog, but it was so iced from the outside he could barely see anything.

It was white.

All white.

As far as the eye could see.

Dean felt his guts twist, like a knife plunged deep inside him.

A frozen knife.

He leaned over to the other side of the car and scrubbed at the window.

Crime scene.

There was police, lights, tape, snow mobile, trees, dead horses and chunks of frozen…well, that must be bodies, he guessed.

He took a deep, shaky breath, thankful that the white had not continued unbroken around him.

The two front doors opened simultaneously as Sam and Bobby jumped into the large SUV, puffing, blowing and shaking off the snow and cold.

"Mornin' princess" Bobby called to him as he noticed the sitting man in the back seat.

"How you feeling?" Sam asked.

Dean frowned. "How long I been asleep?"

"A while. Doesn't matter. We thought we'd just let you go while we scoped the scene"

"Didn't learn much more than we already know, though" Bobby added. "They got no idea what it was, or how many people missing. Too many body pieces. Hell, they haven't even started cleanin' them up yet"

"We _have_ got an idea where this thing is holed up" Sam pointed out of the windscreen, but Dean couldn't see anything other than white. He shivered involuntarily.

"Dean?" Bobby spoke very quietly.

Dean turned to look at him, but his gaze seemed far away for a moment. He shook his head, a physical effort to rid himself of the vision of white.

"I caint see nuthnin' from here, it's too fogged up"

"Um, it's the mountains Bobby plotted earlier. You know, the map, we think that's where the Saltys is?"

Dean scowled. "I'm not short bus, Sam. I know what you mean"

"Well, good then. Coz that's where we're headed next" Bobby pulled out a thermos as Sam started the car and turned it around.

"Where's the trailer?" Dean asked. "And do we have snow chains on?"

Sam met his eyes in the rear view. "The trailer's at the cabin. Bobby and I put the chains on"

Dean swiped his hand across his mouth, then traced it up his face, through his hair and let it rest gently on the cut on the back of his neck. "_How long was I asleep_?"

Sam looked at Bobby, who gave a little nod. Dean hated that. They were acting like over protective parents, and it was annoying him.

Trouble was, he probably needed it. Not that he was going to admit it.

"Seven hours"

He felt his stomach drop. Seven hours? What the hell had that Taggi done to him?

"Why didn't you wake me up?

Bobby turned to face him. "Tried, at first. Then we thought it might be better. You know, metabolize off the poison, and all that" He handed Dean a plastic cup of coffee from the thermos.

"So, we were thinking we'd hit the mountains even though it's starting to get late. If we're gonna be in caves anyway, doesn't matter if it's light out or not"

"Yeah. Sure"

"You can stay in the cabin, if you want, Dean" Bobby gave Sam a sharp look at that.

He'd told Sam to back off, and what does the kid do? Go all mother hen first chance he gets.

Idjit.

"You think I'll stay at some cabin while you hunt a giant multi armed crocodile headed snake. Sure. Fine. I'll get pizza and popcorn and watch movies"

"Really?" Sam asked, glancing up in the mirror.

Dean frowned. "Ppfft. No, not really, you douche"

Blobby smiled. Banter was good. And Dean seemed to have a bit more color in his face.

Maybe things would be all right, after all.

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><p><em><strong>AN... I guess no one leaves reviews anymore...**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N...inspiration is not readily forthcoming...**_

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><p>Dean zipped his parka up tight, his balaclava still rolled up, he hadn't wanted to pull it down over his face yet.<p>

He looked over at Bobby and his brother, both had their balaclavas' pulled down, coats tight, Sam had already swung his long legs over the cat and was waiting for him to join them.

He didn't want to tell them he was hesitating because he thought he was going to throw up.

Dean breathed deep, hoping the spots in front of his eyes would fade and the bile in the back of his throat would just disappear.

Dammed if he was gonna admit just how sick he felt.

He was _not_ going to go back to the cabin.

Truth be told, he was more than a little worried. From what Sam had told him the Taggi infection should've worked its way out of his system by now, but he was still sick.

In fact, he was having trouble standing without swaying.

How could he still be sick? Was it really the Taggi blood, or was something else swimming in his veins, making him puke up everything that he put in his mouth and burning his body with a sticky fever?

"Y'okay?" Bobby called.

Dean rolled the knitted cap down over his face, and pulled the hood of his parka up over it.

He threw his leg over the snow mobile and started it without answering.

He knew both the men were watching him and waiting for a sign of weakness, one slip and Sam would be manhandling back into the cabin.

They drove off into the snow, the car and trailer already wearing a soft blanket of white.

X

X

X

X

Sherry-Anne coughed again, her throat was raw and burned every time she took a breath.

Erna was stumbling along behind her, one had clasping the young girl's, the other firmly holding on to Alec. She was growing stronger as she walked, still in pain, and stumbling every few steps, but determined to get out.

Sherry-Anne's other hand was locked into the professor's as he led the motley group downwards, and, hopefully, outwards.

After a while they came to another opening, this one also too far above ground to get out, but they didn't let it dampen their spirits.

The professor let go Sherry-Anne's hand to pick up a largish branch from the cave floor.

"If we can get some more pieces of clothing, we could make a decent torch out of this. Easier to see where we're going and..."

"And it'd make an awesome weapon" Alec finished. "I don't wanna go back and get any more rags, though"

Sherry-Anne wiped a glove had across her damp forehead. "See if you can find enough dry moss. I remember reading somewhere that it's flammable, I think, once it's dead"

The professor wrapped his arm around her shoulder in an affectionate hug. "Pretty _and_ smart. I think you're right. Let me get to it"

Within minutes and with Alec helping he had fashioned two large torches from the branches. He pulled a lighter from his jeans pocket and Sherry-Anne let out a small laugh.

"What?" he asked her.

"Can't remember if you have a family, but you remember you have a lighter in your pocket?"

The professor looked at her and frowned. "Yeah, funny about that. I didn't even think" He turned the silver lighter over in his hands. "It's engraved"

Alec leaned over to see it.

"What's it say?" Erna asked.

The professor looked up at her. "To my darling husband, love Sally"

"So, not your sister then" Alec gave him a punch in the ribs. Can you remember her now?"

The professor shook his head. "No, but I kinda feel…I don't know, something. When I say her name, I get this feeling" he touched his stomach. "Do you think she's dead?"

Sherry-Anne shoved him, hard, and the professor stumbled a step backwards. "What'd you do that for?"

Sherry-Anne looked angry. "We are not going to talk about anyone dying, or being dead, unless we know that for certain. And even then. I can't think about… I just can't think about anyone losing anyone else, or someone being dead, or what might happen to us"

The professor kissed her on the top of the head. "I'm sorry, sugar. I know you're trying to hang tough her, and you're doing a damned fine job." He handed her the lighter. "Let's get these suckers lit"

X

X

X

X

The hunters were stopped in a small copse of shrubs, the snow not quite as thick here.

"Think this is a good place to leave the snowmobiles. Got a little cover, at least" Bobby said.

Dean pulled his hood back and flipped up the balaclava. He was sweating again, he knew he was feverish and the woolen cap was making him itch.

"Dean?" Sam called.

Dean turned, ready to growl at his brother for fussing over him but saw Sam was looking the other way.

"What?"

"Ah, look here…I think there's another body"

Bobby joined Sam as Dean leant over to see what Sam had found.

A snow covered mound with a pair of boots was poking out from the scrub.

Bobby grabbed the leg to pull the body forward and couldn't help by let out an involuntary yelp when it moved.

Sam helped pull the person from the scrub, brushing the snow from the parka.

A man groaned and Dean knelt in the snow beside him, pulling his hood back so he could see his face.

"Dude, can you hear me?"

The guy's eyes flicked open, a bright blue locked with the green and he reached up to his head. "Who are you?" he asked the hunter.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing"

The man struggled to sitting position. "My name's Mark Daniels. We were attacked…I've been trying to find my brother. I've been walking all night. I stopped to rest, just for a minute. I guess I passed out"

"Mark Daniels? Your sister in law named Sally Daniels?" Sam asked him.

Mark nodded. "Is she okay? Did you find her? Did you find my brother?"

Sam offered him a hand to stand up. "Sally made it back to base camp and called for help. Her and several others are fine, they're in town"

Mark gave him a desperate look. "And Dean?"

"Yes?"

"Yes? You found him?"

Dean stood. "Um, sorry. My name is Dean, as well."

Mark's face dropped. "You haven't found him, have you? 

Bobby stepped forward. "He hasn't been found, so that's good so far. Mean's he's not amongst the victims"

Mark turned to him. "How is that good?" he shook himself to rid his clothes of the snow. "How can him being missing be a good thing?"

Bobby looked at Sam, then back at Mark. "Sometimes it takes a few back with it to its lair. For later"

"You're shitting me"

"Did you see the thing that attacked you?"Sam asked him.

Mark rubbed his hands across his eyes. "Yeah. Yeah, I did. What in God's holy world _was_ that thing?"

Sam turned to his brother and noticed Dean was again kneeling in the snow. He held out a hand to help him up and Dean took it without comment and stood with the other men, his knees wet.

Mark turned to look at him. "Dean? You don't look so good"

The hunter gave him a grimace. "Dude. I just met you, and you're ganging up on me already?"

Mark frowned. "What is that thing? What's going on here? Who are you guys? And why do you think I'm ganging up on you?"

Bobby gave him a slap on the shoulder. "That thing is a Zaltys. We're here to kill it. I'm Bobby, this here is Dean's brother Sam. An' Dean thinks yer ganging up on him coz he's bin sick and we've bin naggin' him a bit"

"Okay." Mark shook his head, but he accepted the information.

"Look. You get on a snow mobile and high tail it back to town. We'll find your brother, kill this thing, and be back before you know it" Sam pointed to the vehicle behind him.

Mark looked at him. "No way. I'm coming with"

Dean touched his arm. "I don't think so. You already passed out in the snow. Leave this to the professionals"

Mark whirled on him. "What if it was your brother that was taken by that thing? Would you scurry off to town and leave a bunch of strangers to find him?"

Dean looked back at Mark, his brow creased, his lips pursed. "Not a hope in hell" he replied quietly.

"Then you get where I'm coming from. I'm gonna find my brother and get him out of here. Alive. And if we can kill that thing, then good. But as long as we get my brother that really is just a secondary concern for me"

Dean walked passed him to the snow cats and unhooked his bag, then threw it to Mark. "You can carry my bag, then"

Mark looked surprised.

"Bobby's right. I been sick. You wanna come? Least you can do is help out"

Dean turned and back to the vehicle and grabbed another smaller bag and hooked this over his shoulder. Mark looked up at Sam, who shrugged.

"Least I could do is nothing"

Bobby unhooked his own bag and Dean handed Sam his, it was larger and seemed quite heavy.

"So, how do we kill this thing?" Mark positioned Dean's backpack over his thick parka.

Bobby shrugged the back pack onto his shoulders. "We're not real sure. But, one of the things we know is it hates fire. So, we're thinking that's a start"

"I thought you said you were professionals. Just how many of these things have you killed before?"

Dean was moving towards the cave opening, and he paused, turning to Mark and gave him a winning smile. "This will be our first"

He turned back and Bobby joined him as they walked towards the cave. Mark stood for a moment, staring at the hunter as he walked away, his face lit with surprise and admiration. Sam caught the look as Mark started to move after the hunters. "He really is something, isn't he?"

Sam grinned. "Yeah, he sure is"

"My kinda guy" Mark turned to follow Dean.

Sam brought up the rear, his flashlight already in his hand. He still had the smile on his face, wondering how Dean would react once he found out about his little one man fan club.

X

X

X

X

The flickering torches illuminated the cave far better than the combination of phosphorescent moss and the professor's tiny torch, but the inconsistency of the light made traversing the uneven cave floor a daunting prospect. Several times they all went stumbling to their knees, but each time they would pull each other back up, brush off and continue on.

They didn't speak much, the effort of staying upright and moving taking almost all of their courage and endurance, with Erna and the professor both injured and Sherry-Anne becoming increasingly feverish and weak.

Alec had taken over point, being the only one still fairly whole, his injuries superficial and easily ignored.

They were al hungry and becoming increasingly more thirsty, there were no longer any patches of ice or snow for them to quench parched mouths.

After an impossibly long time Alec halted the group. "There's another fork in the cave" He spoke quietly, only having to overcome the spluttering of the flames and the heaving of exhausted breath.

Sherry-Anne sneezed. "Which one goes down?"

The professor moved forward, looking from one passage to the other. "Looks like they're both fairly straight"

Alec walked a couple of steps into the first entrance. "The flame is moving forward, like a breeze is going that way" he pointed ahead. "Does that help?

They tried the next passage, but the same thing happened.

"Well, we need to pick a way" the professor scratched his head. "Any ideas?"

Erna was leaning against the wall, catching her breath. She cleared her throat. "Is that water?" She bent, pulling her glove off and touching the floor. "It is, and I think it's flowing that way"

Alec lowered a flaming torch to get a better look. "She's right."

"So that would mean that the left passage must have a slope that we couldn't detect." The professor moved into the passage a few steps. "I can't think why we wouldn't keep with our original plan and continue downward. We all together on this?"

He looked to the faces of his sad little group. Erna, her face bruised, pale, but determined. Alec, shining bright with hope, still with dried blood on his hairline, and Sherry-Anne, eyes fever bright and lips white, but promise as strong as her bright red cheeks.

"All right, then. Let's get this show on the road"

He turned just as something lunged at him from the dark. The others screamed as a dark figure grabbed him and threw him to the ground.

"Who are you? Why did you bring us here?" the figure yelled.

Alec overcame his initial shock and lunged forward with his torch in front of him. "Back off!' He yelled as Sherry-Anne reached to help the professor to his feet.

Erna moved forward. "Jack? It is Jack, isn't it? You were in the same trail riding group with us"

The dark figure stepped back a pace. "Why did you bring us here?"

The professor stood. "Why do you think _we_ brought you here?" He picked up his still burning torch. "Jack? That's your name?"

The man moved closed. "Yeah, my name's Jack. And you're Dean, one of the guys that ran the trail group" he turned to Erna. "I don't remember your name"

"I'm Erna. Are you alone?"

"No, there's three more, one's a kid from some private school camp, and two more from the trail group. We saw the light in the distance and I thought I'd volunteer to look"

Sherry-Anne reached forward and grabbed Jack's hand. "You said there was another kid from the camp here? Like me, a teenager?"

Jack looked at the tiny girl, her face flushed and her eyes too bright. "Yeah, a boy. He hasn't spoken since we found him, so I can't tell you any more about him." He looked up at the professor. "Did you find your brother or Sally?"

Alec placed a hand on the professor's shoulder. "He took a really bad knock on his head, he can't remember much. But we haven't seen anyone else alive. We had two more with us, but…"

Jack frowned. "What happened to them?"

The professor shook his head. "Take us back to your group, we'll talk on the way"

"Sure. Okay. Only you're not gonna tell me it was a big monster like the other guys did"

The professor turned and took Sherry-Anne's hand. "Man, we saw it. How come you didn't? What did you see?"

Jack moved off down the passage. "My horse reared and I fell and knocked my head on something. I saw nothing. I woke up here when someone fell over my feet"

Erna gave a sigh. "Yeah, there's a bit of that going around" She grabbed Alec's hand. "Who else from our group are with you?"

"May and Ben. You know, the annoying couple from NYC on their second honeymoon? Turns out they aint so in love once push comes to shove. Done nothing but fight the whole time we been in these damn caves"

Sherry-Anne squeezed the professor's hand. "This sounds like it's going to be a barrel of laughs"

He squeezed her and back. "Still, better we found some more survivors. Ah, Jack? Did you guys find any food or water?"

"Camp boy's got a whole backpack filled to the brim. You guys hungry, are yah?"

"We ran out of food a while back. Been able to find bits of clothing and bodies, but no food"

Jack led them on a short distance then stopped at an alcove that, tucked back in a small bend, was hidden from the mouth of the cave.

Alec moved his torch forward and three grimy scared faces looked out at him.

"Oh God" Sherry-Anne groaned.

"I know, but at least we're together" Alec answered.

"No, not that, I can hear something. I think it's coming back"

They all spun, looking up and down the passage. "Which way?"

Sherry-Anne shook her head frantically. "I don't know!"

"Fuck that, let's run!" Alec yelled.

"Which way?" the professor asked him. "If you go the wrong way, you're running right into its face"

"Get in the hole!" May called out to them. "You guys have fire. Get in the hole, you can try and fend it off with your torches"

"Affirmative action" Erma agreed and pushed into the alcove, pulling Sherry-Anne in with her.

"Oh God Oh God Oh God" Ben started to chant, his body pulled into a fetal position in the corner of the small chamber.

"My husband, the hero" Amy muttered.

A large slithering sound whooshed into the passage, and the alcove filled with a fetid stench.

"It's here" whispered Sherry-Anne, then all she heard were screams as the Zaltys raised its massive head, one of its pale furry arms reaching in to grab them.

X

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X

X

Bobby held his flashlight high as he peered down yet another fork in the cave system. "Sam? Your turn" he called, and the tall man moved forward.

The four men turned off their lights as Sam lit up an ultraviolet light. One tunnel glowed with marks, splatter and splashes.

"I'd say we have a winner" Dean said.

Sam snapped the small flashlight off, as everyone turned their lights back on.

Bobby hoisted his flame thrower up again and led the way, Dean next, Sam and Mark behind him.

They walked for a while, everyone on edge, quiet, breaths contained, controlled. Mark couldn't help but admire these three, his fear and worry for his brother held at bay.

They seemed tense, coiled, but relaxed at the same time, the combined strength of this mysterious trio giving him a sense of calm and confidence he really needed about now.

And that guy, Dean? He had a hidden sadness that he thought no one saw, but it leaked out of him, in the sideways glances and furrowed brow. There was a story there, a tragic one, and he would love to hear it…..later, once they rescued _his own _Dean, and they were safe and sound back at their ranch.

As if reading his mind the tall man turned and gave him a reassuring smile, his green eyes aglow in the flashlight.

"Still with us, there, Mark?"

Mark gave him a nod and a shy smile.

"Well then, in the side pocket of my pack you'll find a flask. Little courage all round, whattaya think?"

Mark pulled out the silver flask and took a swig of the dark whiskey. He let out a gasp and handed it to Dean, who gave him a wink. He took his own slug and handed it to Bobby, than back to Sam.

Dean turned back and trudged on, Bobby's back covered, his flashlight and a gun held ready.

"He's kinda cool, isn't he?" Mark smiled at Sam.

Sam's smiled back. "Yeah, he really is" Sam sighed and moved to follow. "He really, really is" _I just hope he's still not sick…_he thought.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN...another couple of days, I'm guessing...tis that time of year, very busy... of course, lots of reviews make me want to write faster...true!**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N... Listening to hold music. Think I'm gonna puke...**_

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><p>Bobby led the winding way, each time they came to another fork he let Sam discover the right way, and the quartet trudged on, always going up, always finding no real clues except for the ultraviolet evidence.<p>

Dean tapped Bobby on the shoulder. "Need a leak" he told him quietly.

He moved to one side as the others moved on a bit, and leaned against the damp freezing cold cave walls.

He didn't need a leak.

God, he needed to lie down.

Another seven hours of sleep sounded about like heaven now.

"Dude, you okay?" Mark stood back a little from him, his face worried, his voice full of concern.

Dean didn't answer him.

Mainly coz he felt if he opened his mouth, he'd throw up.

"My brother, my Dean? Just as bad as you. Never admits when he's sick, never wants anyone to worry about him. You don't wanna worry your brother or your dad, there, do you?"

"Not my dad" Dean ran his hand across his forehead for the millionth time. "May as well be, though. Practically raised us."

"You are sick, though, aren't you?"

Dean looked at this sandy-red haired man. He was not quite as tall as himself, but just as well built. His cornflower blue eyes just looked dark in the subdued cave light, but even in this light Dean could see he had long golden lashes, and a soft stubble covered his face.

"I can help. I can. Just tell me when you need a break, or water, anything, and I'll cover. I'll say _I _want a break, or to sit down. I got your back"

Dean frowned. "Why?"

"Why, what? Why would I do this for you?"

Dean nodded.

"You're gonna find my brother. You're gonna kill the thing that tried to kill us. Dude, if you needed a liver right now I'd cut it out of me. You want me to cover up how shit you're feeling? That's nothing"

Dean thought about it for a moment and then smiled. "I'd appreciate that. Thanks"

"You got it"

"Can you ask for five minutes to have a sit down?"

Mark bit his lower lip, then turned to Bobby and Sam who were waiting a little further up.

"Hey, guys? Would you get mad at me if I asked for a short break? I guess I'm a little woozy still"

Bobby looked at the red haired ranger.

"You're covering for Dean, aint ya?"

Mark gave a lop sided smile. "Don't let him know you're on to me, okay?"

Sam frowned at him. "Y'know, he coulda just asked for a break"

Bobby snorted. "Yah really think he coulda asked for a break?"

Sam sighed. "I get it. Okay. We won't say anything"

Mark walked back to Dean and plonked himself on the cold cave floor beside him.

Bobby started to check the flame thrower. "D'ya think Dean's got any idea that fruity boy has a crush on him?"

"None whatsoever" Sam answered.

"Gonna be funny when he figures it out"

"Yep. Can't wait"

Sam swung around, looking up the passage they were headed. "Did you hear that?"

Bobby looked around at him. "Nope"

"Did you guys hear that?" Mark called out. "I think I heard screams"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, me too. C'mon"

He picked up his pack from where he had dropped it and noticed Mark giving Dean a hand up.

Dean would not admit he was hurting to anyone, but here he was letting this man help him. He must be sicker than he thought.

Damn.

He should've chained Dean to a bed in the cabin.

This time the faint screams drifted down for all of the men to hear and they started to jog towards the sound.

The screams were louder as they moved further into the mountain, and before too long they could hear both male and female voices, and a roar that could only be the Zaltys.

They came to another fork, and the echoes and acoustics of the cavern made it impossible to figure out which passage to take. Without speaking they all clicked off their flashlights so Sam could use the ultraviolet.

Both passages showed signs of blood splatter.

Sam flicked his flashlight back on. "I can't tell!"

"They sound close. We're gonna have go split up, take both passages" Bobby lit his flame thrower, the small blue flame adding to the eerie glow of the moss.

Both Sam and Dean lit theirs as well.

"Okay, you and Bobby go that way I'll take Mark with me" Dean started to jog down the passage, Mark close at his heels.

Sam gave Bobby a desperate look then they, too, ran off down the other passage.

Bobby pulled up after a few minutes. "The screams are getting quieter. We're in the wrong passage"

Sam grabbed Bobby's arm and near pulled him off his feet to head back the other way.

Why did he let his brother go off on his own?

Dammit, this was taking to long…

They spun around the fork of the two caves, the screams immediately became louder and the roar of the Zaltys was ear shattering.

The tunnel had a slight bend so they could not see very far, but the flash from the flame thrower lit their way, overshadowing the moss and the flashlights beams.

Bobby and Sam ran at breakneck speed, both lighting their flame throwers as they ran.

They skidded around one bend, this time knowing they were closer as they could see the flames flaring against the wall from the second bend.

They could not see the creature, so slowed only so they did not run into the fire, and advanced with caution.

There was an opening, or another cave passage, and this was where the monster was focussed, Dean's flame thrower on full throttle as he battled with the ancient creature.

The flames were holding the most fearsome monster at bay, and Sam gasped before firing up his flamethrower to join Bobby's and Dean's.

The massive body had raised as high as it could in the restrictive area, it's girth had to be twice that of Sam's, and as far as he could see there were clumps of dirty looking fur here and there.

There were six huge arm-like appendages all ending in three long, black and what seemed to be deathly sharp talons.

The head was a cross between a snake, alligator and a T-Rex, with the predatory face displaying four eyes, two set further back to allow a near three hundred and sixty degree view.

The long black teeth were frightening in their size and sheer numbers, and as they dripped thick saliva that sizzled in the firelight it gnashed these teeth, the larger incisors reaching far over the jaw line.

Around its neck seemed to be a heavy chain containing a fist sized amulet, though Sam was concentrating more on burning the damn creature than trying to figure out what the amulet was.

A crack and whoosh heralded the whip of the gigantic tail, it, too held razor like claws or blades surrounding the tip and both Bobby and Sam jumped out of the way, pulling their flamethrowers back into the face of the creature as they fell.

The cracks of gunshot assaulted their ears as several bullets hit the monster's face, taking out at least one eye and shattering one of the incisors.

The creature turned and slithered off at an amazingly fast rate into the darkness, the sudden departure leaving them in a state of shock and alarm.

Sam turned to Dean, only to find it had been Mark holding the flame thrower, his face white with fear, but his mouth tight with determination.

Dean was slumped against the cave wall, his gun in one hand, his other across his stomach, slick with blood.

"DEAN!" Sam yelled and threw his flamethrower on the ground to grab his brother.

Dean met his gaze, his skin greasy, his eyes glassy. Bobby was right there beside him, and together they lay the injured man down.

"What happened?" demanded Bobby.

Mark turned off his flamethrower and knelt beside them. "The tail. It was so quick…it just flicked him before we could react. He dropped the flamethrower and I picked it up. I, oh God, I'm gonna be sick…"

He ran a couple of steps before doubling over, losing any contents in his stomach as he did so.

Sam removed the gun from his brother's grasp and peeled back Dean's other arm, aware his brother's eyes were glued on him, the face they peered from was turning a pale shade as each second ticked by.

"Dean?" Bobby asked as he pulled first aid supplies out. "How bad are you hurt?"

Dean gave him a shaky smile. "You tell me"

Sam pulled lifted the flashlight to shine on his wound; the ugly gash that cut across his abdomen from one side to the other was spilling blood, but thankfully didn't look too deep.

"It don't feel too bad" he coughed a little "Burns like a sun of a bitch, though"

"Like, venom, or just cut?" Sam asked as Bobby handed him a small bottle of holy water to cleanse the wound.

Mark came back, but after one glance at the blood he turned and threw up again.

Sam poured the water across his brother's stomach and the wound smoked and crackled, Dean grimacing and groaning with the pain.

"What are you doing? Are you pouring acid on him?" a young girl's voice gave them a start and Bobby looked up to see two wide eyes in a grubby teenage face as the girl moved forward in the cave.

"It's to stop the monster venom" he answered her. "Who're you?"

"My name is Millie. These are my parents" she pointed behind her to two very frightened middle aged people in the corner of the chamber, clutching each other, faces coved in grime, clothes torn and filthy.

"That's Jason. I don't know anything else much about him, just that he was on a school camp and the thing brought him here"

Jason stepped forward. He was tall and thin, acne scattered across his cheeks, his hair poked out in odd tufts from his torn winter cap. "Hey, can I help you guys with anything?"

Sam looked up at the earnest face. "You can hold the light for me while I help my bother"

The wound stopped bubbling and Jason leaned the light in as far as he could as Sam wiped away the mess until he had a clean working area.

The cut was deep, in some places it had nicked the stomach muscle, but for the most part was not too bad. Bobby handed him an adhesive bandage and he taped his brother up tight, wrapping the bandages all the way around his waist from ribs to his jeans.

The air was frigid, their breaths plumes of white mist, but Dean's skin was hot to the touch and he was not shivering, even with his trunk exposed.

"Dean, I'm gonna give you some painkillers, okay? Your fever is back up and you look like shit"

Dean started to pull down his clothes to cover the bandages. "Thanks, man. I needed a compliment"

Bobby helped him stand and then gently pushed him back until he was leaning against the wall. Sam fished out a handful of tablets from the bag and handed them to him, but gave him the holy water to wash them down with.

Dean quirked a brow at the flask in his hand, and Sam shrugged.

"I figured better safe than sorry"

Dean frowned but downed the tablets with a large gulp from the flask and handed it back to his brother.

Bobby saw Mark standing there, looking a little lost and more than a little embarrassed by his display of a weak stomach. He slapped the man on the back.

"Chin up boy. You just fought off an ancient Slavic monster"

"Yeah, about that" Dean stifled a groan as he pushed away from the wall. "You notice it had a collar on?"

"Yah, I did" Sam answered. "Didn't get a real good look at it, though. Had an amulet or something"

"Yeah, I saw that" Jason handed the flashlight back to Sam. "I got a good look at it. I mean, that's all I could do, was look, while you guys fought it off."

"You're one brave kid" Dean gave the boy a weak smile. "He was holding that thing off with just a burning rag on a stick when we got here"

Jason turned crimson and lowered his chin. "Well, I didn't wanna get ripped up like all the others"

"So, um, you were on the skiing camp?" Sam asked him.

Jason nodded. "We got attacked, that thing brought a bunch of us back here. Six or seven of us, at least. Everyone was knocked out but me. I guess I got a hard head" he lifted the edge of his cap to show a nasty bruise.

"And you three?" Bobby asked the family, the parents still clutching at each other.

"We were on a trail riding group. I think you were there, too" Millie answered, pointing at Mark.

The red haired man nodded. "Hey, yeah, I remember you. Was hard to tell with all the, ah, dirt and stuff"

The parents let go of each other and the father held out his hand to Sam. "I'm Raymond, this is Mildred"

He shook hands with the hunters and Mark, Mildred just looked on, her shock and fear limiting her ability to make coherent conversation.

"Have you seen anyone else?" Mark asked the four survivors.

Jason shook his head. "No one. We thought we heard something, late last night, but we were too scared to call out in case that thing came back"

Mark nodded, his concern for his brother clear on his worried face.

"Was the sound coming from the same direction that thing came from?"

Jason gave him a sad smile. "Yeah, it was"

Bobby handed Dean another bottle. The hunter looked at it, confused.

"It's Gatorade. Drink it" Bobby's tone left no room for argument. Dean just stared at the bottle.

"I said drink it"

Dean looked at Bobby, his eyes still glassy. "Gimme a minute. I'm still waitin' to see if the holy water's stayin' down"

Bobby nodded, his fatherly smile broke out and he patted Dean on the shoulder. "Just breathe deep, and sit if you need to."

Dean nodded, eyes downcast. Before another moment passed Mark was at his side.

"You did good, dude" Dean told him quietly, and Marks face split with a wide grin at the praise. "Saved my ass"

Mark nodded. "It's worth saving" he told Dean, who just gave him a smile back.

Bobby felt a little chuckle rise and he swallowed it back down. If Dean wasn't below par right now he'd figure out Mark's orientation and gently discourage the man, but as it was, in his frail condition, he was inadvertently encouraging the growing affections of the muscular fellow.

Pulling a notepad and pencil from his backpack Bobby moved over to Jason, the small cave they were in was brightly lit, moss covering nearly every surface.

"Can you draw the amulet? Might give us a clue on what's going down here" he handed the paper and pencil to the tall boy and turned to the older couple.

"We're gonna have to try and find this thing to kill it. You guys can either follow us, or try to make yer way out. Yer not that far from the exit"

Raymond looked at Mildred who shook her head. "Can't we just wait here?"

Sam stepped forward as he shoved the unused first aid supplies back into the pack. "We don't know if we'll even be coming back this way. Might be better if you head out the way we came in. Monster's behind you that way, it'd have to get through us before it came anywhere near you"

Raymond nodded. "Yeah. Okay. We can do that, I think"

He grabbed Mildred and Millie by the hands.

"Are you coming with us. Jason?" Millie asked the gangly boy.

He looked at the hunters, and shrugged. "I'd really like to help kill that thing, if I could"

Sam nodded. "I understand. But we're trained to do this, and we can't risk your life in this. Besides" he handed the boy a flashlight and a smaller flamethrower he'd had in his backpack. "Someone has to get them out. Someone brave"

Jason smiled at him. "I can do that!"

Bobby walked them a few steps forward into the main passage. "It's basically straight, from this angle. Don't take any turns, don't double back, you'll be out in a coupla hours"

He stood for a few moments and watched then head off, then turned back to Sam and handed him the sketch Jason had drawn of the amulet.

Sam looked at it and handed it back. "You seen anything like that before, Bobby?"

Bobby looked confused. "I have. On that little Taggi alter back at Ted's"

X

X

X

X

The hunters stood at the mouth of the hidden cave, catching their breath after digging it clear of snow. Roy, Mike, Andy, Shane and Brian. All experienced big game hunters, all well equipped, fearless men.

All borderline crackpots and alcoholics.

"Well, guys, let's go rescue that pretty lady's husband" Roy grinned, remembering how she smelt as he sat beside her in the information centre in town, before the cop had ran him off.

"All for one!" Andy raised his shotgun.

"And all for beer" the others cheered back as the turned to enter the cave mouth.

A low growl stopped them in their tracks.

"You hear that?" Brian asked.

"Shit yeah" Shane grabbed his rusty old flashlight from his deerskin jacket pocket. "What the fuck was that?"

"Woudn't mind baggin' me a bear about now" Roy also grabbed his light, a much newer model, and both he and Shane stepped into the cave mouth.

There was a sudden roar, the two hunters screamed very briefly, then blood and viscera splattered out to coat the three remaining men.

Before they could react in any way the Zaltys lunged, its blood coated jaws open wide enough to grab all three men around the waist in one horrific mouthful.

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><p><em><strong>AN...Hmmm...apar from begging for a review, not much to say. Coupla days for another chapter, I'm guessing...**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N...up to this morning I had five thousand readers of this story. Only 15 reviews. Is it really annoying to ask for a quick review? Just a word or two is fine!**_

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><p>Dean took a sip from the Gatorade and held it in his mouth. He figured if he could taste it and not feel queasy he'd try swallowing it.<p>

He breathed slowly, in, out.

He swallowed.

He knew Mark was watching him, but somehow it didn't bother him as much as his brother's mother hen gaze.

Maybe coz this dude was just another victim and meant nothing to him.

Maybe coz he really was sick, and it was almost nice to have someone fuss over him without going overboard or making him feel weak.

Bobby and Sam were huddled, their voices hushed and worried.

Chances are they were talking about him, conspiring a way to leave him here in the damp cave while they hunted the salty snake.

He pushed away from the wall and moved closer.

"But what does that mean?" Sam was saying.

"I don't think they're related. Not really, anyway."

"Well then how do you explain this?" Sam was holding a note pad.

"Explain what?" Dean interrupted.

Sam looked him up and down. "How're you feeling?"

Dean gave him a scowl. "What're you guys talking about?"

"The amulet that thing was wearing, it has a symbol on it that was on the Taggi alter, and in the spell." Bobby took the pad from Sam and handed it to Dean.

"Son of a bitch. I knew this job was wack from the get go"

"We don't know for sure that they're related" Sam turned and kneeled at his bag, rummaging through it.

"This area has a very large proportion of the population from the Baltic and Slavic regions of Europe, it could all be a coincidence."

"Really?" Dean scrubbed his brow with the back of a gloved hand. "You're gonna go the coincidence card? How often have we _ever_ found anything to be a coincidence?"

Bobby pointed to the symbol on the pad. "Thing is, I aint ever seen that before the Taggi alter, and I have no idea what it's doing around the neck of the Zaltys"

Sam pulled out his rumpled wad of downloaded information on the latest hunt and started to flick through it.

Dean shrugged. "What does it matter? We gank this think like we were gonna in the first place"

"It matters because the amulet is probably protecting that thing, as well as controlling it" Bobby grabbed some of the papers from Sam. "If we don't figure out what's going on here we could end up with a butt load more trouble than we bargained for"

Dean turned to look at Mark who had inched over to find out what was happening. "Can I help? With your research bit?"

Sam handed him a couple of pages. "Yeah. You and Dean look for any connection here, there has to be something"

Dean turned to Bobby and held out his hand. Without a word Bobby pulled another book from his pack and handed it to the younger man.

Mark grinned. "It's like you guys can read each other's minds"

Sam frowned. "No way I wanna see into my brother's mind"

Dean winked. "Might learn a thing or two if yah did"

He moved to the side of the cave and with a groan lowered himself to the floor, leaning back against the moss covered wall. Mark took up a position beside him and held the papers for them both to see.

"Okay, so what am I looking for?"

"Anything that is similar, from this thing here" Dean pointed to the Zaltys description "to this thing here" and the paper that held the Taggi information.

"Is that the thing that made you sick?"

Dean groaned again as he tried to get comfortable, finally pulling his legs up and leaning his injured stomach against his knees. Mark frowned. "Dude, you sure you're okay? That thing took a fair sized swipe at you"

Dean took another sip of the Gatorade before opening the small book he'd gotten from Bobby. "I'm good. Had worse. Just stings a bit, is all"

Bobby and Sam sat opposite them, flame throwers at the ready in case the creature returned, and all started to earnestly research any connection between the two nasties.

After a few moments Sam looked up from his research. "I think I got something"

Bobby looked at the papers he held out. "Okay. What?"

"Um, I think there's something here, too" Mark called out, and Sam and Bobby looked over at him.

Dean was asleep, slumped against his shoulder.

Noticing the startled glances Mark held up a hand. "He's fine. Snoring a little. I just let him sleep for now, thought it best, you know?"

Sam looked at his brother snuggled up to a strange man. This was wrong on so many levels. Dean would never snuggle with a stranger, at least, not a male stranger, and not in the middle of a job.

He also shouldn't be asleep again. It was a given that he was injured, and still sick, but to fall asleep with a fresh cut in your stomach? Sam had received similar injuries over the years, they hurt like a bitch, there was no way you could fall asleep with a wound like that on your gut.

He turned to Bobby and saw equal amounts of concern written in the blue eyes of his surrogate father. Bobby noticed Sam looking at him.

"We can always take a picture to tease him with later"

Sam smiled at Bobby's attempt to lighten his concern. It didn't help as much as the effort was appreciated.

"All right, what do you have?" Sam asked Mark.

Mark folded the paper over, then picked up the book he had taken from Dean and placed his finger on a passage.

"Says here, right, that the Zaltys is attracted to other creatures from its region. So, that thing that hurt Dean, here, it's from the same area, originally, as this snake thing comes from. And the fact that they were both summoned using this" he held the book open for both men, a picture of the symbol from the amulet on it "Doubly marks them as, you know, related like"

Sam raised a brow. "Yeah, I pretty much go the same thing. But like Dean said, it's too much coincidence that the same symbol turned up for both monsters. So I'm going on the symbol a bit more"

He reached his hand out. "Can you toss me that book?" Mark complied, and Sam compared it to what he had on his papers. "It's defiantly a controlling or binding symbol. If we can get it off, the thing should return back to its hibernation. Plan B if we can't kill it"

Bobby handed him the small book he'd been reading. "It's also Lithuanian. Dean's right. Too much of a coincidence, I'm thinkin'" Bobby shrugged. "I caint find anything that says the symbol will protect the thing. But I'm telling yah, soon as we gank it I'm payin' Ted a visit"

"You think it's Ted?"

"Who else could it be? Unless we find an alter or a sign that says _Here's the guy summoning the big snake_ I'm thinking he's our best bet"

"So, can we still kill this thing?" Sam asked him. "Or do we need to find out why it's here first?"

Bobby scratched his beard. "We were never sure if we could kill it in the first place. Fire held it back, sure, and Dean's crack shot with the silver bullets put the wind up it, but an amber knife to the heart? Gonna take a bit of fancy footwork to get that done"

Bobby shrugged. "I caint find anything that says the symbol will protect the thing. So, we continue. We may have more survivors, Mark's brother included"

Sam's brow was furrowed. "Well, let's get a bite and then head off. What do we do about Dean?"

"I could say leave him here with me and I'll look after him, but I also want to help you find my brother. He could be hurt. He needs me"

Sam gave him a grim smile. "I don't know if there's any way Dean would stay here. See if you can wake him up" he pulled over the heavy bag he had been carrying and grabbed a handful of protein bars out. "I don't know if he'll eat anything, though"

Mark gently stoked Dean's cheek.

"Hey, Dean? Can you wake up?"

The injured hunter rubbed his eye, but just nestled a bit further into the soft padding of Mark's parka covered shoulder.

Sam stood and walked over to them, handing a bottle of water and a protein bar to Mark. He gave Dean a slap on the shoulder. "Dude, you awake?"

Dean sat with a start, his hands flying to his stomach with the sudden movement. He blinked, confused for a moment, then turned to Mark.

"Was I snuggling with you?" he asked, his voice an embarrassed whisper.

"Dude, I don't think you're the snuggling type" Mark gave him a reassuring smile.

Dean looked over at Bobby, and the grin there told him all he needed to know. "Not a word" he groaned.

Bobby shook his head and accepted the food Sam offered.

"So. Look. Mark found out a couple of things" Sam explained what they knew so far as Dean leaned his head back against the cave wall.

"Makin' a pretty good hunter, there Mark" Dean told him without turning his head. "Fighting monsters, doin' research. You lookin' to take my job?"

Mark's face near split in half with his grateful smile. Dean had closed his eyes and didn't notice the grins on the face of his fellow hunters.

Mark reached over and grabbed Dean's Gatorade. "You should drink a little more of this"

Dean took the bottle from him but just sat it back down.

"We gotta move, Dean. You can either stay here or come with us" Sam grabbed his things and shoved them back into his bag.

Mark and Bobby stood, made sure everything was packed and ready, then everyone turned to the injured hunter, still resting his head back on the moss, his eyes closed.

He felt everyone looking at him and inwardly moaned. They were waiting to see if he could get up, he knew it. Without a doubt.

He felt a trickle of sweat run down from his forehead and knew his brother's eagle eyes would not have missed that.

Biting his bottom lip he tried to stand, but before too much effort had been made he felt a strong hand on each arm, lifting him to his feet.

He opened his eyes to both Mark and Sam.

"You can't use those stomach muscles yet. Don't want you to bust open the bandages" Sam turned and pulled his bag over his shoulder, leaving Dean grateful that there had been no chic flick moment over his injuries.

X

X

X

X

Sherry-Anne had been coughing nonstop for at least an hour, her throat was raw and she felt sweat trickle down her spine.

Everyone was looking at her with concern, Erna had been giving her sips of water in between spasms, but there was nothing they could really do.

Her head was hot, her tongue felt swollen and she was totally miserable.

Ben walked over to her and handed her a hard candy. "Might help. May used to suck them when her mouth was dry"

A tear traced a path down his face. May had been grabbed by the Zaltys last night. Along with the boy from the camp, taken so quickly that Alec and Sherry-Anne hadn't even gotten a chance to figure out who it was.

Their blood still coated the small alcove, the smell of the ruined bodies and the creature had been overwhelming at first, but the burning line of rags the professor had set at the mouth of their little 'room' had taken that away. The breeze that wound its way through the cavern carried off the smoke, and they had not heard anything from the monster since its brief but terrifying attack.

"We have to figure out the best thing to do here, guys" the professor stretched and yawned before continuing.

"We can't stay here for that thing to pick us off one by one. Also, I'm worried Sherry-Anne will get too sick to move if we wait too long"

Ben and Alec looked at him without speaking. Erna seemed to find the tips of her gloves very interesting.

"Professors right" Jack stood up. "I vote we try walking out of here. I know it's scary, but sitting here waiting for that thing to get us is worse."

Erna looked up, tears starting to spill from her eyes. "I don't want to get eaten by that thing. I agree. I think we have more chance walking out than waiting for it to come back and raid the pantry"

Sherry-Anne tried to suck on the hard candy in between coughs, and raised her hand, nodding.

Alec shrugged. "I'm all for it. Let's roll!"

The professor looked at Ben. "What about you? Are you okay with this? I mean, we can always shore up the fires and leave some supplies"

Ben looked like a frightened rabbit. "Oh, my, um…gosh"

Alec frowned. "Dude, you stay here, you die. You know that, right?"

Ben nodded, his head jerking up and down as his eyes grew even wider. "But, um, you guys said that you lost a couple of your companions while you were moving"

The professor grabbed the camp-boy's backpack and threw it over his shoulder. He picked up one of the torches they had made the night before and lit it, then handed it to Alec before he lit another.

Jack stepped forward and helped Sherry-Anne to her feet, his strong arm around her to half carry her with them. He looked at Ben.

"So, man, what's it gonna be?"

Ben actually started to cry. He nodded, and pulled his parka closer around himself.

"All right then. Let's get a move on" the professor turned and cleared the burning rags out of the way. He leaned forward to peer down the passage.

"All agree on left?"

"Lead on, proff" Alec said. "I'll bring up the rear"

Ben hurried forward to make sure he was near the professor.

The group had walked for near an hour when Sherry-Anne started to cough again.

"Do you need a break?" Jack asked her. She shook her head, unable to reply.

He handed her another hard candy. "Ben filled my pocket" he told her.

She sucked on the candy, it helped stop the tickling in her throat.

"We can keep going" Jack called to the professor, who raised his hand to silence the group.

"I hear something" he hissed back to them. "Alec, be ready!"

"Where? In front or back?" Alec called to him.

Sherry-Anne started to cough again, this time it was so bad she collapsed. Jack swung the girl up easily into his arms, there was not much of her, and his adrenaline was pumping.

"Oh God, it's behind me, RUN!" screamed Alec, and the group took off ahead into the dimly lit passage.

They ran, lungs bursting, sweat pooling under their heavy clothes, turning one bend after another, until the professor skidded to a halt.

"There's someone ahead" he called as a group of men rounded the bend, flame throwers and flashlights illuminating the four large hunters.

"GET DOWN!" the man in the front yelled.

The professor turned and grabbed Erna, throwing her to the floor as the men pushed passed him, the flamethrowers at the ready.

They fired them up just as Alec screamed, the creature catching up to him and reaching out two of its arms to grab him.

The tallest man sent flames over the face of the snake, one other fired at its chest, the third at its underbelly. One of the men stopped at the professor, his face familiar.

"Dean? My God, you're alive!"

Before the professor could answer him, he ran off to help the three men fighting the monster. He took one of the flamethrowers off the tallest man and fired it straight into the creatures head.

"Give me space" the tall man yelled, a hand sized dagger at the ready.

He lunged forward to the chest of the creature as one of the other men pulled out a pistol and started to fill the creature's face with bullets.

The tall man almost succeeded in stabbing the monster just as its tail whipped around and smashed him across the chest, sending him flying into, and through, the side of the passage, the thin wall collapsing and breaking into a mound of rubble.

"SAM!" screamed the one with the gun as the tail hit him and the other man, sending them crashing through the other wall, leaving only a bearded man with the flamethrower.

The creature roared in anger and pain, the bearded man taking this opportunity to focus the flame on its gaping mouth, the smell of burnt monster flesh filling the passage.

The man moved forward, intensifying the flame into a narrower assault at the monster's mouth.

The professor, Jack, Ben and Alec stood, shock and awe leaving them immobile.

Erna struggled back against the wall. "Look out!" she screamed as the tail came crashing around again, this time it scooped the bearded man and threw him back into the group of survivors, the broken wall falling over them, then through the floor of the cave as it collapsed, taking all of them with it…

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><p><em><strong>AN...Okay, Hurt! starts now... next update in maybe a week, unless things change around here...**_


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N...okay, I have broken the boys, as requested...I also thought I'd split them up, as that always hurts them more than anything else...**_

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><p>Mark groaned. He felt broken. His mouth was open, and it was full of dust and rocks. He leant forward and spat, and again, to try and clear it.<p>

Wiping his eyes he sat, rocks, moss, rubble and mess falling from him. Amazingly the flamethrower was still lit so he leaned over and turned it off.

The moss glow lit the area he was in. It was a small chamber, no exits apart from the hole in the distant roof he'd been thrown through.

He stood, pulling his legs from the collapsed cave roof and saw a boot sticking out from the mass of rubble he'd just emerged from.

"Oh god..Dean?"

He started to pull the mess from the fallen hunter, it was taking so long, he was buried completely.

Fingers hurting under his now ripped gloves Mark finally found Dean's face, and felt under his jaw for a pulse.

Nothing.

He pulled his glove free and tried again.

There…

Just faint…

"Thank you Lord" he muttered and gently brushed as much mess as he could from the hunter's body.

There was blood intermingled with the cave dust.

Lots of blood.

Mark gently turned Dean until he was lying on his back. Blood seeped from the hunter's ears and nose, his lips were cut and more blood seeped from at his waistband, most likely he'd ripped open the strapping over the stomach wound.

Mark started to gently check Dean's legs. Good, they weren't broken.

He felt his pelvis, trying his best not to let his hands linger where they should not.

Not yet, anyway.

No broken hips.

He unzipped the heavy snow coat, and straight away a gush of blood told him there was more than just a stomach wound. He pulled up the sweater and shirt.

There, a rib had broken and pushed its splintery head through the man's skin, and there was another large cut just beside it.

Mark ran his hand up the hunter's firm abs and gently probed every rib. More than one was broken.

A shuddery breath pulled through Dean's half open mouth and he tried to cough, blood and dirt splattering his chin.

Mark felt the arms next.

The right one was broken, and the hand looked hurt, bruised…but he could feel no broken bones.

He pulled the knitted ski cap off Dean's head and gently probed his skull.

Nothing broken.

He had both hands around Dean's head, cradling his skull in his palms as Dean's lashed moved, slowly the broken man opened his eyes.

Mark let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding, and tried to offer Dean a hopeful smile. "Hey"

Dean drew in another shallow, ragged breath, as a tear of blood trickled from one eye.

"Happened?" he whispered.

"That thing threw us through the wall, and we ended up breaking through the floor. You're hurt pretty bad"

Dean seemed to realize his head was being supported by the other man and tried to move away, the effort causing him to cry out as his injuries made themselves known.

"Don't move" Mark ordered him. "You got broken ribs, one's gone through your skin"

Dean closed his eyes for a moment and Mark worried he'd passed out. He sat Dean's head back down on the ground and the hunter's eyes sprung open again.

"Sam"

"No, dude, it's Mark"

Dean rolled his head a bit to look at him. "Sam. Where's Sam?"

Mark shrugged. "I don't know. There's just the two of us here, I think. Unless anyone's buried under that rubble. I'm pretty sure that thing hit him in a different direction to us, though."

"Anything here?"

Mark was confused. "Anything? What do you mean?"

Dean swallowed. "Bags. Any of our bags?"

He felt like every bone in his body was broken and piercing his skin. His head hurt, his stomach was burning, and he couldn't feel one arm at all. He tired to move it and regretted that action instantly, a gasp of pain pushing through his clenched teeth.

"God, Dean, just lie still. You've probably got internal injuries"

"Bag. Look for a bag"

Mark rocked back on his heels. "Why do we need the bag? What's in it that's so important?"

"First aid"

Mark felt stupid. "Oh. Sure. That's kinda important"

He looked around the small cave. Most of the floor was covered with the remnants of the cave roof, a few clear patches here and there, but none of them showed a bag.

If there was anything, it would be buried in the rubble around his injured friend.

"Dean? I think I'm gonna have to move you, if that's okay"

Dean didn't react.

"Dude, did you hear me?" he leaned forward and tenderly touched Dean's cheek. The green eyes fluttered open again.

"Hmmm"

"So, I'm gonna move you, okay?"

Dean held out his good arm, indicating he wanted a hand to stand up.

"I don't think so. Not till I can at least try and strap your ribs a bit. Let me drag you, okay? Just for now?"

Dean looked up at him, his green eyes trusting, his long lashes powdered with black and silver cave dust. For a brief moment something flashed there…resignation? Acceptance?

God, how much pain had this man gone through in his life that this was just another day for him? Mark felt his heart lurch at the thought of such a person suffering like this.

What hell had hardened him so?

"All right. All right. Let me see. This is gonna hurt. Bad, I'm thinking" He pushed the mess away from around Dean's head with his boots then leant down, grabbing a handful of parka at each shoulder.

"Take a deep breath. And if you have to scream, then scream. I'm not going to listen"

Dean bit down on his bottom lip and gave just the smallest of nods. With as much care as he could Mark gently pulled him across the floor of the cavern.

Dean groaned, stifling any loud noise, but his breath became quick and even more shallow. Finally he let out a loud grunt and gasp, his eyes bulging and sweat breaking out across his forehead.

Mark pulled him clear from the rubble pile and quickly moved around, standing straddle over the hunter who had arched his back as he rode out the pain.

Pulling up the blood soaked clothes Mark released a relieved breath. He placed his hand on Dean's chest and gently probed, each soft touch drawing another involuntarily gasped breath of pain.

"This is actually good, man. Pulling you has popped your ribs back in place, and pulled the one jutting out of your skin back. If we could just strap you up…"

Dean nodded, eyes scrunched closed, unable to answer yet. He was still panting, his chest so painful he could not take a deep breath.

Mark sat beside Dean's head and took his uninjured hand in his.

"Dean. I need you to look at me. Just look into my eyes, okay?"

Dean opened his eyes. The sweat was dripping off him, and Mark worried it was not just from pain.

"You need to try to breathe a little slower. Okay? Just think about your breathing. Not the pain. Just breathe. Your heart is racing and you're going into shock"

Dean looked into the cornflower blue eyes.

He wished they were Sam's hazel eyes, but these sincere, caring eyes would do, for now.

He tried to breathe slower. He realized Mark was matching him breath for breath, helping him bring down his respiration, and it helped.

It did.

Breathing easier was putting less pressure on his damaged chest, and calming the rushing blood pounding into his broken bones.

He breathed in through his nose, out through his mouth, mirroring the other man's exactly.

"I'm going to look for a bag now, okay?"

Dean nodded, still concentrating on his breathing, and closed his eyes.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

He felt very confused, his thoughts were random, though the breathing was helping. He was cold, but hot at the same time.

And Sam.

Where was Sam?

He remembered…. Snow.

Sammy was lost in the now…and there was blood.

Too much blood.

No.

That wasn't real.

It wasn't.

He remembered….

That thing.

The…Salty? Zoltar?

It wacked Sam with its tail.

Oh God.

The same tail that sliced through his stomach just hours before.

Sammy….

"HEY!" a voice called from above, and Dean's eyes snapped open.

Mark stood back from the rubble he was digging in.

"Hey!" The voice called again, and a flashlight shone over the hole. "Who's down there?"

"Me, Mark, and Dean, the hunter Dean, not the ranger Dean"

"This is Ben. I was with the group you saved from that monster thing. Are you guys okay?"

Mark looked over to Dean. "He's hurt. Bad. I'm okay."

"Sammy?" Dean asked, so quietly that only Mark could hear him.

"Who else is there with you?" Mark called up.

"Just me, right now. The thing, well, it collapsed the cave, I'm here alone. I kinda, well, I kinda didn't move for a bit, then I heard you. I don't know where anyone else is"

Mark looked down at Dean, who had closed his eyes, his brow furrowed. He'd heard.

"Ben, is there any of these guys bags up there? Can you see anything?"

The flashlight disappeared, then a moment later a bag started to lower over the edge, tied to a sturdy rope.

Mark grabbed it as soon as it was within reach and slammed it on the ground.

There was stuff in there he wasn't too sure about, as well as guns, water, another flask and, he let out a relieved sigh, the first aid stuff.

Mark pulled it out and saw that the hunter had rolled his head over to watch him.

"You got so much stuff here. You were planning on running into trouble, weren't you?"

Dean raised his brow. "Shit happens" he whispered. "Come closer, I'll talk you through it"

Mark pulled the bag closer to Dean. "I have first aid training, I'm a ranger, remember? Just shut up and be a good patient."

Dean closed his eyes again.

"Breathe like I showed you" Mark whispered to him, then quickly and efficiently splinted and wrapped his arm, and cut away the earlier bandage from the stomach wound.

That looked bad. It has blackened and looked infected.

Odd, as there really had not been enough time for it to get so bad.

"Holy water" Dean told him without opening his eyes. "Unholy poison from the snake thing"

Mark didn't like the way his voice was fading, but he didn't say anything.

Finding a flask in the bag the same as the other guys had used on the cut, he poured the water over the wound and was surprised that it hissed and bubbled again, as if acid, not water, had been unloaded onto the tortured flesh.

The hunter's back arched and he couldn't control a scream this time as the water flushed out the Zaltys venom.

Mark just bit his cheek and poured until the bubbling stopped, then wiped the mess away.

The gash looked a little better. Not a lot, but anything was a bonus.

"How you holding up?" he asked Dean, but got no answer. "Passing out is a blessing" he murmured, then looked up to the hunter's face.

Dean just blinked back at him, aware, in pain, and worried for his brother.

Brother.

Don't think about it, Mark internally shook himself.

Just concentrate on_ this_ Dean.

His own Dean, his brother, he was alive.

He was alive, he survived that thing's attack already. He's alive.

He's gotta be alive.

"There's no pain killers here" Mark put his hand in his pocket. "I've still got the flask, if you want?"

Dean frowned.

"The whiskey flask" Mark held it up. "Bout the only pain killer we got right now"

Ben shone his light over the edge again. "I can pull you up with the rope" he called out.

Mark looked at Dean.

He looked back up at Ben. "Don't think that's an option" Dean croaked.

"Not a hope in hell." Mark yelled back. "Dean's hurt too bad. We'll sit tight here for a bit, you look around see if you can find anyone else"

Ben sighed. "What if that thing comes back?"

Mark felt his anger start to rise at this gutless idiot who seemed to have survived without a scratch.

"These guys burnt it up pretty bad. It'll need time to recover. Maybe days"

Ben let another audible sigh. "Fine. I'll look"

Mark sat himself down on the cold cave floor next to Dean. "We'll just sit tight here for a while. Ben can get help"

Dean coughed again, his good arm clutching his ribs tight. "Dudes got less balls than a choir girl."

Mark felt himself smile. He really liked this man. _Really_.

He didn't know if the feelings were mutual.

He hoped they were….

Dean reached over and put his hand on Mark's knee, it was his damaged hand, now strapped and bandaged.

"Our brothers will be fine. Sammy's strong. He'll be okay, and he'll make sure everyone is fine"

Mark felt a hot tear escape and slide down his cheek. This man, so broken, in so much pain and beside himself with worry over his brother was comforting _him_.

He was pretty sure, now, the feelings were mutual.

He smiled at Dean and placed his own hand carefully over the bandaged hand.

Dean didn't pull away.

The hunter had closed his eyes, and his swollen and injured hand was playing a staccato beat in time with his heart, he didn't know Mark was holding hands with him.

X

X

X

X

Sam thought he was floating. He could feel his heart beat in his ears, so he knew he wasn't dead.

Slowly, very slowly, the floating feeling stated to fade, replaced with a very different sensation.

He was wet.

And cold.

And he was lying in a weird position, his body starting to protest at the strain on his muscles.

He opened his eyes and immediately regretted it.

Dust and crap fell in his eyes and he shut them with a gasp.

Then shock as frigid water was poured over his eyes.

"Hang on. Don't open them yet" a male voice told him, and he felt a rag gently clean his face.

"Try now"

Sam lifted his head and cautiously opened his eyes.

They burned, still, and his vision was blurry.

Mark was there.

No.

Not Mark

He looked a lot like Mark.

He drew a breath to speak and was ravaged with a choking cough that brought tears to his already burning eyes.

A water bottle was shoved into his hands and he took a long swig.

"Thanks" he breathed. Another cough, but this one was more manageable.

"You're Mark's brother"

The guy nodded. "Dean Daniels. So I'm told"

Sam sat himself up. "Told?"

The professor filled him in, as briefly as he could, from the moment he woke up in the caves to right now.

Sam moved his legs and a burning sensation caused him to gasp, his vision blurring more and his stomach rolled dangerously.

The professor grabbed the tall man's shoulder. "Man, you all right?"

"Sam" He shook his head as his senses started to settle down. "My name's Sam"

"You going to throw up?"

"Uh, I don't think so. But I do feel weird." He pulled his legs up to his chest, his stomach protesting but giving in.

"You don't look so good. Green"

"Uh, thanks. I think I have a fever. This is weird, my brother's had these symptoms for a couple of days"

"What's weird about that? You could have caught the same thing."

Sam shifted in the dirt. "He was poisoned."

The professor stood and held out a hand to help the young hunter up. "Well, that_ is_ weird"

Sam stood, then lowered his head to his knees until the nausea faded. He breathed slowly, his vision still not overly clear, but it was better. He stood, slowly unfolding to his full height.

"So, um, Dean, how long was I out?"

The professor looked at him, as strange expression on his face.

"What is it?" Sam asked, wondering if he'd in some way insulted the red haired man.

"Since I can't remember who I am, my name sounds, I don't know, foreign. Like it's not my name. The kids were calling me professor"

Sam slowly started to move through the confined space they'd ended up in. "Kids?"

"A couple of teenagers from some ski camp that found me. There were four, now we're down to two. If they survived this" He scrubbed his gloved hand over the rough red stubble that was sprinkled across his chin. "How long were you out? Don't know. I woke up just before you"

Sam's foot hit something that he couldn't quite make out in the dim light, and with his vision still blurry.

He bent, making sure his movements were slow and even, his stomach sending warnings that it would accept no less.

It was a bag. Good.

He pulled a spare flashlight out, then another, handing it to Dean…the professor.

It was easier to see with them on, the dim moss had made everything take on a surreal cast.

"Shit" the professor gasped, his light pointed at Sam.

"What? What is it?"

Sam pointed his own flashlight at himself and saw what had shocked the professor.

He was covered in blood.

When he'd woken he'd felt wet, but hadn't realized what he was soaked in.

"Where are you bleeding?" the professor came closer, his hands probing Sam's torso, trying to find he source of so much blood.

"I don't think I'm…aah!" the professor's hands met with cuts in Sam's parka, and they stung like a bitch.

"Open your coat"

Sam unzipped and pulled his sweater and undershirts up. Is stomach was tattooed with a line of cuts, like a massive cheese grater had taken a swipe at him.

"That thing hit you with its tail" the professor told him. "But you have more blood on you than you should have. These cuts are nasty, but they've already stopped bleeding."

Sam grabbed up the bag and rummaged through it until he found a half full flask of holy water and splashed it over his stomach.

The immediate and intense pain shocked him and he could not help but cry out.

The professor grabbed him as he swayed and near collapsed as the water bubbled and hissed. Sam couldn't breathe, the pain was ovewhelming.

He accepted the arms supporting him, then lowering him to the ground, his head taken up with the feeling of his flesh bubbling and burning as if acid had been poured over him.

After a few moments he could once again focus, his sizzling flesh had stopped steaming and the pain went down to a more manageable horror.

"What did you pour on yourself? Was that acid?" the professor's eyes were wide with shock.

"Holy water. Just, holy water, nothing else. " Sam thought he might just sit for a bit longer.

"Why did it do that, then?"

Sam looked up at this man. He was confused, concussed and had no memory. But he was trying to understand what was happening here, and from what he'd told Sam had kept the motley bunch of survivors alive so far.

"The creature that cut me, it has a cursed venom on its tail, I think. Cut my brother up pretty bad"

He felt his stomach drop at the thought of Dean.

That thing had sliced clear across his brother's stomach and he'd barely cringed when they poured the holy water on him. Sam was always astounded at his brother's capacity to control pain.

"Dean" he moaned.

The professor cocked his head. "Yes?"

Sam looked up at the blue eyes. "No, my brother is also called Dean. We gotta find him"

"There was an older guy, beard, and two younger men"

Sam nodded. He felt his stomach warn him that it wasn't going to comply for much longer.

The professor grimaced. "I saw that thing clear throw him and the other guy through a wall, and I think the roof collapsed on them."

Sam nodded again.

He reached his hand out for the professor to help him up again.

"I don't think I'm cut anywhere else, and nothing's broken. I gotta find my brother. We have to get out of this chamber and find him"

The professor nodded and slung the weapons bag over his shoulder.

"Hello? Anyone there?" they heard a distant voice call.

Sam and the professor looked at each other and then turned to the ruined wall.

"Yes! Hello!"

"We're in here!"

A scrabbling sound, then the voice was closer.

"Hello?"

"Here! We're in here!"

Sam grabbed his companion's arm and pointed to the top of the wall rubble. A flashlight beam could be clearly seen, moving back and forth over the roof of the room they were in.

The professor handed the bag and flashlight to Sam. "I'll climb up and see if there's enough room to get through"

Sam nodded, then turned and threw up behind him. He felt the strong hands once again support him as he continued to vomit, black spots in front of his eyes and sweat breaking out.

After he'd finished the professor lowered him again to the ground.

"You stay put, okay? I'll just climb up and see what's the go here"

Sam frowned.

"Okay? Just sit for a minute…."

The professor stopped talking as Sam passed out, his falling head contacting heavily on the cave floor.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN...Sherry-Anne? Bobby? My beloved Erna? Jack and Alec? **_

_**You'll have to wait...**_


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N...Nakey,**** injured Sam...here, enjoy!**_

* * *

><p>The burning woke him with a scream. His stomach was on fire, sizzling and scorching, then all of his skin that was exposed to the frigid air started to burn..<p>

"SAM!" a voice commanded. "Stop pushing me away, I'm trying to help"

Sam opened his eyes as the acrid stench infiltrated his nostrils, making his stomach protested loudly. There was steam billowing off him, focusing through it he barely made out the form of the professor, flask of holy water in hand.

Bobby was standing beside him.

"Son, just hold on, okay" Bobby spoke tenderly, holding Sam's shoulders still as more holy water was poured over him, this time it bubbled and burned a lot less.

"I think we got it all" The professor observed. "Wipe all the residue off and we'll change his clothes"

Bobby scrubbed Sam's torso then helped the confused man to a sitting position.

Sam looked around. He wasn't in the same cave that he'd passed out in. Bobby was tugging at his shirt, and Sam realized he was trying to strip him off.

"What? Why?"

Bobby finally got the buttons open and pulled the shirt away, then started tackling Sam's undergarments.

Sam grabbed the older man's hands. "Bobby? What's happening?"

Bobby didn't stop pulling clothes off the younger man, the cold air contacting wet flesh which released clouds of steam as he breathed.

"The blood of the Zaltys was all over you. It's made you sick, we think. We gotta get as much as we can off you"

Sam understood, his confused brain trying to piece together all the little visions flashing before it.

He moved forward a little to help Bobby finish stripping him, Bobby had him naked before he knew it, then the professor doused him with more holy water.

An older lady came into view, a small hand towel clutched ready. She gently wiped Sam down, all over, her eyes averted modestly as she wiped away all traces of blood.

She then started to scrub him more vigorously, trying to restore some warmth and blood flow into his rapidly freezing body.

Bobby handed her a t-shirt and she helped Sam pull it on. "There's no underwear in the bag, but there is some track pants. The guys are gonna help you stand to put them on, okay?"

"Thanks, Erna. Can you grab the sweater?" Bobby asked her.

Sam was hoisted up onto shaking legs, his stomach rolling and his vision blurring. Erna bent and gently helped each foot through the legs of his track pants and pulled them up.

"They're too short" she frowned.

"This is Dean's bag. His brother. He's a tad shorted than Sam"

Erna gave Bobby an appreciative grin. "I'm thinking everyone is a tad shorter than your son"

Bobby shrugged and lowered Sam back to the ground while the three of them dressed him in the few pieces of clothing Dean had packed in case of an emergency.

"We need another coat" Bobby ruffled Sam's hair. "And a ski cap wouldn't go astray"

The professor scanned around, and Erna cleared her throat. "There's Jack's coat. That should fit him."

The professor gave her a panicked look. "Oh god, do I have to take it off him?"

Bobby grabbed Erna's hand and pulled her closer to Sam.

"Sit with him and hold him upright, would you? I'll get the coat."

Bobby walked over to the body of the man half poking out from a rubble pile and efficiently pulled the heavy coat and warm cap from him.

"He's not put off by that. I guess it's not his first time around a dead body" Erna whispered, her arm wrapped around Sam's waist to help support him.

"Sadly, no" Sam replied.

Bobby checked the coat over before he put it on Sam. "We left your socks and boots, there was no blood on them. How're you feeling?"

Sam looked up at Bobby. He frowned.

"Really weird. I can't move my arms properly. My thoughts….What?"

Bobby slapped him on the shoulder. "You gonna yark?"

Sam cocked his head, not understanding. "Speak English, Bobby"

Sam turned to the woman holding him.

"Jess, can you put the cat out?" he asked her, then he passed out again, Bobby stepping in to grab the heavy man as Erna struggled to keep him from smashing his head on the hard cave floor again.

"He's pretty sick, isn't he?" the professor asked.

Bobby laid Sam down, his head resting on Erna's lap. "I'm hoping he was knocked a bit silly, not that the poison is making him talk like a Satdee night drunk"

"Well, he's snoring. Is that a good thing?" Erna looked up at the two men.

Bobby shrugged. "I guess. Means he's breathin' at least"

The professor pulled his knitted cap off and scratched the thatch of sandy red hair. "Well, you got us both out of that smashed room, rescued Erna and Sherry-Anne, what's the next in the Bobby the hunter's_ book of how to escape from a really big snake thing_?"

Bobby shrugged. "We find his brother and yours. And those other two you said were still missing"

"I can work with that" the professor answered. "Help me get Sherry-Anne over to Sam and Erna. They can wait there while we find the others"

Sherry-Anne woke with a start when strong arms picked her up, and she gave a sleepy smile to the professor before a fit of coughing overtook her.

Bobby cleared a spot beside Sam and helped the other man lay her gently down.

"I'm okay, I can walk" she old them, her cheeks flushed and her forehead covered in greasy sweat. "I think it's just a cold"

Bobby gave her a grim smile. "Yeah. I'm sure that's all it is"

He grabbed the one working flame thrower and a gun, the professor picked up two. Bobby raised a brow at him.

"Can't hurt to be prepared"

Bobby turned and started to climb the rubble pile at the opposite end of the chamber they were in. "Man after my own heart"

The professor smiled.

He was going to find his brother.

He assumed it was the man that spoke to him just before he helped attack the monster.

Not just because he called him by name, but because…just for a moment, he felt he knew him.

He was familiar.

Just for a second, he felt his stomach lurch like when you remember something you were not supposed to forget.

Then he forgot again.

He was hoping that when he saw his brother again, that more memories would come to him.

That is, if his brother was even alive.

He had to be.

Even though he couldn't remember him, the professor felt a desperation and anxious need to find his unremembered family.

And his wife.

Bobby had told him his wife was alive.

He couldn't remember her, but when he thought of having a wife, he remembered a scent of sweat and perfume, horse hair and leather.

It made his heart ache.

"Balls" he heard Bobby call back. "We got another dead one, here"

"One of yours?" the professor called back, climbing as quickly as the shifting rubble would allow.

"Bobby turned around. "Nope. It's not a fresh one, either, so hold yer nose as you come past"

At least it wasn't anyone from his group, then.

Or his brother.

He let out a relieved sight and scrambled passed the eviscerated corpse. He couldn't even tell if it was a man or a woman, only that it has been dead for a while, and must've been hidden in a crack in the wall.

Bobby reached a hand down to him and helped pull him through the hole in the roof of the cave, the edges crumbling, but minimally, holding the weight of both men easily.

"More moss here." Bobby's flashlight was still in his pocket, there was enough light for him to see fairly clearly.

"Hey!" a voce called. "Hey, over here!"

The two men turned towards the distant voice. Bobby tucked his gun into his waist band and pulled out his flashlight.

Shining it ahead of them, they walked along the cave, rubble scattered here and there, the length of passage broken and collapsed all over the place.

"Hello?" the professor called out.

"God, proff, it's me, Alec. I'm trapped"

The professor looked at Bobby then hurried towards the teenager.

He was half buried under a pile of rubble, his lower torso covered.

Bobby knelt down beside him while the professor cleared some of the mess from around his head.

"You been trying to dig yerself out?" Bobby gave a whistle. 'Tough little sucker"

"Gosh, no, mister. I just didn't want to stay here and be food for that fucking…."

"Yeah, I get yah" Bobby looked at the rubble pile.

"Every time I dig, more falls down"

Bobby raised his brows and looked at the Dean who wasn't his.

"Pull him out?" the professor asked him.

"I'm thinkin' yep"

The grabbed an arm each. "Close your eyes Alec, so the rubbish doesn't fall in them. Bobby and I will count to three, okay?"

They pulled the boy free without too much effort, and examined him for injuries.

Alec started to cry.

"What is it? Why are you crying?" the professor asked him.

"I can't feel my legs. I thought, at first, it was the rocks on them had made them numb, but now.."

Bobby roughly pulled the boy to his feet, and Alec cried out.

"You feel yer legs now?"

He held Alec upright while the teenager shook his numb legs, tears still spilling down his cheeks.

"Man, that was cold" the professor frowned.

"No time fer pussy footin'. We need to find the brothers"

Bobby let Alec go and the boy managed to stand on his own, his face still wet.

"I thought I heard voices from back there, but when I yelled back no one answered."

"Well, that way it is. And also, the only way we can go"

Bobby handed the flashlight to the teenager and pulled out his gun.

"Hey, did you find anyone else?"

"Jack's dead, but Sherry-Anne, Erna and another one of these hunter guys are alive."

"You're hunters? The monster get you on a hunting trip?"

Bobby glanced at the kid out of the corner of his eye. "We're huntin' the monster. That's our huntin' trip"

Alec thought about this for a minute. "You hunt monsters?"

"Yup. When they're not huntin' us"

"Cool"

Bobby rolled his eyes. "Kids" he muttered.

He stopped, grabbing the professor's arm to halt him as well.

"What is it?" Alec asked.

"Sshh… I heard something'" Bobby whispered.

They all heard it, then, a scrambling, soft, like something trying to hide.

"Monster?" whispered the professor.

"Dunno. Get ready" Bobby lit the flame thrower.

The rounded a mountain of rocks and Alec shone the torch erratically, trying to find whatever had made the noise.

They heard it again.

Suddenly, from out of the darkness, a Zaltys launched at them.

It was much smaller, the main body about the size of a cat, it's tail only about two yards of stringy sinew.

Bobby fired on it with his flamethrower, burning the creature as it screamed in pain.

It didn't take much flame before the creature fell in a pile of ash and burnt bone, and Bobby turned the flame thrower down.

"Eyes peeled, boys, there may be more that one of these suckers" Bobby told then as he stepped forward to kick the creature's remains with his boot.

"It's breeding? That means there's more than one adult, and god know how many babies!" exclaimed the professor.

"Well, this just gets better'n better" Bobby sighed. "At least the little one's easy to kill" He sighed, running his hand over his beard. "There may be no other adult monster. Supernatural things often breed a little different to normal critters"

The cautiously moved forward, Alec behind the two men but with the flashlight pointed out in front, sweeping across the tunnel, looking for any signs of movement.

The professor clicked the safety off one of the guns, holding out in front of him with two hands. The other was tucked into the front of his waistband, ready at a moment's notice.

Another baby Zaltys sprang from the darkness and Bobby fried it before it moved more than a few feet.

"Fantastic reflexes" the professor commented. "Thankfully"

Another scurrying sound and the professor turned his gun and fired, just as Bobby knocked his hand away.

"What? Why'd you do that?"

"Reflexes" Bobby gruffed as Alec shone the torch ahead.

A pair of boots poked out from the side of a rock pile.

"I'm thinkin' monster mini-me don't wear boots"

They moved forward, the professor still had his gun ready.

"Who's back there?" called Alec.

The boots pulled behind the rocks, but no one answered.

"It's Alec. And the professor. Who's hiding back there?"

The boots poked back a little.

"Don't shoot me!"

Alec looked at the professor. "Is that Ben?"

The professor nodded. "Ben, is that you?"

The frightened man crept out from the pile of rocks, his hands held high.

"Don't shoot me!"

Bobby rolled back on his heels. "Why in god's name would we shoot you?"

He lowered his hands and approached the trio.

"Are you alone?" Alec asked him. "You find anyone else?"

Ben shook his head. "I'm alone. I did find someone else, though"

Bobby felt his heart drop. "Alive?"

Ben frowned at this new man. "Yeah, for the most part. They're in a hole where the floor collapsed. They sent me to look for others but I saw those…those things…"

"How many bite sized monsters you see?" Bobby asked him.

"God, I don't know. One? I hid as soon as I saw it"

"Great. Chicken Little survives without a scratch. Big help you'll be"

A scurrying behind them made them turn as three small creatures threw themselves at the four men, one grabbing Ben by the throat, another bucking backwards as the professor shot it, and the third screaming in monster pain as Bobby fried it to a crisp.

He turned the flame thrower to the creature the professor was shooting, as Alec screamed out for them to help Ben.

Ben was holding the monster back as best as he could as it tore at his throat, blood spurting out from a ruptured artery.

The professor leaned in and grabbed the tail of the monster and pulled it off the screaming man, throwing it in one quick move to the ground.

Bobby ashed it before it could strike again.

Alec shone his torch up to Ben's neck.

The man was trying to hold his hand over the gaping wound quite unsuccessfully as blood squirted through the gore coating his fingers.

He reached out to them with his other hand, then his eyes rolled back in his head and he crumpled to the ground.

"Oh, god…oh god…" Alec whispered. "There's too many monsters. "We're never gonna get out of here alive"

"Well, we'll give our best shot" Bobby told him. "Now let's see if we can find Dean and Mark."

Another scrambling noise and they turned, gun and flamethrower ready.

The large, terrifying shape of the adult Zoltys reared up, roaring its displeasure at the destruction of its children.

Bobby raised the flame thrower to its face as it lunged to grab him, jaws opened and black teeth bared.

X

X

X

X

Shane crept along the dimly lit cave, having heard the latest roar from that mother fucker of a snake thing he knew he was getting close.

He was gonna kill it.

For Roy.

For Mike, Andy and Brian.

Fucking shit piece of crap killing them before they could do anything to stop it.

And for the fame.

No one would believe what happened unless he bagged himself the biggest left over dinosaur-what-the-fuck-was-it-monster.

And when everyone saw it, he would be famous.

And rich.

And chicks wouldn't spit in his face any more.

Coz he'd be rich.

And famous.

Something caught the edge of his boot and he fell, though being a practiced hunter with reflexes like a _god dammed cat_ he rolled and was up on his heels, crouched and ready, rifle light pointed to whatever had tripped him.

A bone.

Raw and bloody, it hadn't been parted from its flesh for too long.

Another, then another.

He stood, still hunched slightly in a hunter stance, and stepped carefully over the discarded human bones.

A small noise off to his to his right.

A squeak? A cry?

He turned as at least half a dozen small snake monsters launched at him, their mouths ripping into him before he had a chance to react, or even cry out….

X

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN...I know, I know, another cliffy... but hey, that's how I write! Maybe, just maybe, you'll review?**_


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N...Here's another chapter. Geez, I can't leave this as an auther's note, this is lame. Damn...I can't think of anything else...**_

* * *

><p>Erna shifted the head of the sleeping man on her lap to a more comfortable position and then turned and stroked Sherry-Anne's face.<p>

The child was burning up.

She tried to hear anything that could be happening beyond her small area but the piles of roof rubble were an effective barrier against sound.

After a few moments she heard the rubble from the pile the two men had climbed earlier start to shift and fall as if someone was climbing through.

"You're back?" she called out. "Did you find anyone else?"

There was only a soft gasp as an answer.

"Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

Again the gasp, then a soft cry.

"Hold on, I'm coming!"

She grabbed the duffle bag and gently slipped Sam's head onto it, then moved Sherry-Anne's head to rest on Sam's lap.

Picking up the flshlight Bobby had left her she hurried to the rubble pile.

"Where are you? It's Erna, I'm here, I can help you"

The soft cry sounded ahead and above her, so she turned the torch to find the source of the suffering.

The grotesque visage of two baby snake monsters that were mewling over a rotting corpse turned to her, flesh hanging from their oversized jaws as gobs of thick saliva dripped in long rivulets.

She took a step back, too shocked to cry out, but when both the baby monsters launched at her she screamed and tried to run.

To no avail.

They clamped their heavy jaws into her, one into her back, one into her thigh as she fell face first into the sharp rocks.

She screamed in agony as they started to tear her flesh, their greedy mewling and growls mingling with her shrieks of pain.

The sound of gunfire rang out and one of the creatures let go, then the other as the bullets rained down on them.

She couldn't move but heard someone stomping on the monsters, then the sound of a knife or blade.

Small gloved hands grabbed her, Sherry-Anne's voice made soothing sounds as she tried to comfort the injured woman, but Erna's senses were afire and she continued to scream her pain to the world.

Larger hands grabbed her and then poured water on her, over her wounds, and the pain increased with the bubbling hiss of holy water hitting her torn flesh.

Mercifully, she passed out.

Sherry-Anne looked at the tall man, he was swaying with the effort of slaughtering the smaller monsters and tending to Erna, and she worried he, too, would pass out. He turned his soft eyes to her, they were unfocussed and his expression was confused.

"Um, I think we need to bandage these bites" he said, and fell to his knees.

Sherry-Anne didn't feel much better. "I don't think I can help you" she whispered, then a fit of coughing overtook her and she, too, collapsed.

Sam rolled back onto his buttocks, guns still held at alert.

"I gotta stay conscious, if there are more of those things…"

Sherry-Anne nodded. "What can I do?"

Sam shook his head, and the blonde girl wasn't sure if he did this because he didn't know, or he was trying to clear it.

"I don't have any classes today" he told her.

Sherry-Anne wiped a glove across her feverish forehead. She wasn't sure if she heard right, or if the man was babbling.

"Sam? We don't have any classes. You need to stay awake. I can't shoot the monsters"

Sam looked at her, his eyes were very unfocussed. "Don't worry dad, I won't let you down."

"Sam?"

"I'm not drunk on those fish"

He swayed, and then steadied, for a moment his eyes focused. "Um, who are you?"

Sherry-Anne felt tears of desperation, fear and pain slip from her eyes. "I'm the girl you're supposed to protect" she whispered.

"I can do that" he whispered back. "Are you in line?"

Sherry-Anne coughed again. What could she do? They had both woken when Erna screamed, and Sam had acted like some super robot killing machine, he'd grabbed a gun and killed those monster things without even blinking, but now the adrenaline rush was over he was fading fast.

If neither of them could stay awake, they were as good as dead.

"Um, I think I thought of a thought or something" Sam turned his eyes to her, his brow scrunched in confusion.

"What? Is it something that can help us?"

"Ahh…what?" Sam rubbed his eyes. "Yes! I remember!"

Sherry-Anne waited, but Sam didn't continue.

"Sam?" she prompted.

"Yes, ma'am?"

God, this was not how she wanted to die!

"Oh, I remember!" Sam exclaimed again. "Holy water!"

"What about the holy water, Sam?"

He looked at her, and she could see his strain at trying to keep his thoughts together. "The…I can't remember, the, um, monster? It's evil. Holy water. We need to…jeez.."

He slapped his forehead, trying to pull his thoughts together. "Dean. We gave him holy water to drink, and he didn't get confused. I think I need…. Popcorn"

Sherry-Anne grabbed the flask Sam had poured over Erna. It was still half full.

She handed it to the confused man. "Sam, drink this"

He looked at the flask as if it were some undiscovered creature.

"Drink it, Sam"

He turned his eyes back to her, then took the flask and downed a couple of good mouthfuls.

Sherry-Anne took the flask back and waited. Would it work?

Sam grabbed his stomach and let out a groan, as his mouth opened smoke drifted out, and the smell of sulphur.

"Gah! That hurts!"

"But did it work?" Sherry-Anne asked, wiping the sweat from her eyes. She felt like she was going to pass out, but knew if she did it would be the last thing she ever did on this earth.

Sam's eyes were crunched shut as he rode the pain, then he belched, smoke billowing from his mouth and nose with the noise.

He looked at her, but his eyes were still not clear.

"Sam? Do you feel any better?"

He tipped his head a little, as if trying to figure out what she said.

"You. You need to drink it, too" he said, his brow again scrunched.

"I don't think so. I didn't get bitten, or anything"

"You must've…must've…I dunno, gotten some saliva or blood on you…when you were…what?"

Sherry-Anne drank a large mouthful of the brackish water, and immediately felt it burn like acid as it ran down her throat.

She started to cough.

She couldn't stop.

The burning was overtaking her, and the coughing so intense she started to black out, spots were in front of her eyes and she couldn't hold herself upright.

She felt an arm support her as she toppled forward, and another rub her back as she struggled to draw a breath in between spasms.

After what seemed an age she managed to breathe again, her eyes slowly coming back into focus.

She was doubled right over, and Sam held her, his long legs straddled around her, one arm wrapped around her chest as he rubbed her back with the other.

The burning had stopped, and even though she was sure she had coughed most of her lungs out, she actually felt a little better.

Sam helped her to sit upright, his face a little less confused. He let her go.

"Can you drink some more?" he asked.

She nodded, and took another cautious swig.

It burned, but not as bad, and this time she didn't cough.

She took another, and this one went down without any burning.

She handed the flask to Sam.

"I'm not thirsty" he shook his head.

"You're still a little out of it, though, so I want you to drink this" she commanded.

He gave her a quirk of a smile and drained the flask.

This time he coughed, a little, and smoke again released from his mouth.

"Are you any better?"

He looked at her, his eyes were clear.

"Sam? Do you feel any better?"

"Night, Dean" he said, and fell forward, his face in the dirt.

X

X

X

X

Alec had his hand firmly entwined in the back of Bobby's jacket as he led him backwards, the hunter firing the flamethrower at the terrifying creature, barely keeping it at bay.

The professor hadn't bothered to fire his gun, he wasn't a good a shot as the other guy he'd seen shooting, and already knew the bullets wouldn't kill the large monster.

He had his gun in front of him as he led Alec along, ready in case any smaller creature jumped out at them.

The Zaltys was already burned from earlier, its broken teeth and ravaged eye had not healed, Dean's silver bullets seem to have put a dint in its armor.

The fire became more than the creature could bear, or was willing to put up with, and it withdrew with a roar and a whip of the sharp tail. Alec saw it coming and with his footballer's skill threw the hunter to the ground, narrowly missing a gut strike.

Bobby rolled and leapt back to his feet with a grace that belied his years.

"Talk about reflexes" he thanked the kid, and Alec ducked his head with the praise.

"We're in this together" the professor said without turning. "So far you have kept us alive, so I don't think we want to be losing you any time soon"

Bobby checked the flame thrower over, it seemed okay. "Well, boys, we got two choices. Go back, or go forward. Me, I'm gonna keep lookin' for the lost boys"

Alec shrugged. "Hey, if it were me lost, I'd want you to keep going, too. So I'm in"

The professor turned back to face Bobby. "My brother is there, as well….I hope. I may not remember him, but I'm pretty sure I can't live without him"

Bobby gave them a grim look. "Well, here's hoping we burned enough of mommy monster's britches to keep 'er off our ass for a while"

They made their way down the cave, the rough floor, covered in rubble and rocks making the going difficult, the only favor the Zaltys had provided them was a bit of a path where her large body had pushed through.

Alec stumbled and fell to his knees with a painful gasp.

Bobby and the professor rushed to grab him up, concern apparent in their haste.

"I'm okay, I just tripped on a rock and cut my knees. But guys, there's something, hang on" he didn't get up, but fell to all fours and crawled forward.

From his vantage point on the ground Alec had spotted something they would have missed had he not tripped. There was a bag, some candy wrappers and a bottle of water, and a length of rope, one end of which was through a hole in the side of the cave.

"See this?" Alec pointed out. The other two dropped to their knees to see what he was pointing at.

"I'll be dammed. Looks like this is where that chicken shit Ben was hiding" the professor shook his head. "Wonder if that's where the others are that he mentioned"

Bobby got onto his stomach, flashlight in hand, and peered over the edge of the hole.

"Hello?" he called out.

"Bobby! It's Mark, I got Dean with me"

Bobby let out a sigh, his relief so strong he could taste it.

"You both okay?"

"Dean's hurt. Pretty bad. He lost consciousness about an hour ago. Did Ben get you?"

Bobby shone his torch around until he saw the prone man. He couldn't make out too much, just a man lying on the ground, Mark beside him, holding his hand.

"How bad is he?"

Mark shook his head. "Broken arm, smashed hand, though I think that's just really bruised up, not broken. He's got broken ribs, one came through the skin, I've strapped them all back in place. I don't know if he has internal injuries."

Bobby closed his eyes, just for a moment, trying to maintain his composure.

He opened them, making sure his voice was even, called down. "Do you think we can get you guys out? We can pull you up"

"I don't know if we can do that. Dean's a bit of a mess, with his gut wound from before, as well"

The professor popped his face beside Bobby's and Mark gasped. "Dean! My god, you're alive! Oh, thank you, thank you Bobby!"

"Don't thank me too much. His eggs are scrambled. He aint got no idea who he is, let alone you. But we can talk about that later. Caint leave you two there, we got baby monsters all over the place that could get in this hole, so you boys aint safe"

The professor talked to Bobby in a lowered tone that Mark could not hear. It didn't matter.

His brother was alive.

He wished this Dean was awake so he could share his good news. He squeezed the hand he was holding a little tighter without thinking, and was rewarded with a groan.

"Geez, I'm sorry" he whispered, running his free hand over the sweaty forehead.

"Fucken hand hurts" Dean croaked, his eyes still closed.

"I know, baby, I know" Mark whispered back.

Dean frowned, but his breath quickly evened back into a soft snore of uncomfortable sleep.

"Mark?" Bobby called out. "Yer brother's got an idea. He's lost some of his cereal, but he can remember how to rig up a climbing sling. We're gonna get Dean first, then you. Okay?"

"Okay" Mark called back, startling Dean, making him jump and open his eyes.

"What…?" Dean croaked.

"Shhhh" Soothed Mark. "My brother and Bobby are gonna get us out. Just hold tight, okay?"

Dean frowned. He grunted as he tried to sit, and Mark placed a supporting arm around his shoulders and help lift him upright, trying to relieve any strain on his injured ribs and stomach.

"Don't need to hold me up" groaned Dean when the arm lingered on his shoulders.

Mark went to pull it away and Dean tipped sideways, letting out a cry of pain when he tried to right himself.

"I think I'll just keep my arm here, just sort of rest it a bit, if you don't mind" Mark smiled at him.

Dean scrunched his eyes closed and breathed as deep as he was able. His head was pounding, his stomach rolling; his arm was throbbing, and his stomach and chest? He didn't know how he could stay conscious.

"You gonna throw up?" Mark whispered.

Dean didn't answer.

He couldn't.

Mark just cradled his shoulders while the poor man tried to breathe, each breath a gasp of pain and discomfort.

After a few moments Mark's brother was lowered down, a handful of rope and rags carried in a bundle that he threw on the floor.

He looked at Mark, his face scrunched with confusion and wonder.

He knew this man, but he didn't know him.

He held back the very real urge to hug him.

In his heart he knew, he just _knew_, that this was his brother, even though, had he not been told his name, he would not have recalled it.

He would know him anywhere.

"I, ah, I rigged a sling" he said.

Mark gave him a smile, tears starting to well. He bit his lip to try to hold them back, but he didn't know how long that would work.

He bent his head to Dean's ear. "We're gonna help you up, now so we can get you into the sling. We'll take it slow, you just tell me when you need a breather, okay?"

Dean nodded, and opened his eyes.

He looked up at his namesake. Guy was almost a twin for Mark. "Hey" he croaked.

"Hey back atcha. We're going to lift you straight. Marks says your pretty beaten up, so I don't want you to try to stand, we're gonna do this for you, okay?"

Mark smiled at his brother, and his tears fell unbidden. He was powerless to stop them, seeing his brother whole, alive, and in charge, the way it should be.

The two red haired men stood either side of Dean and carefully placed an arm under each of his, making sure the break in his right arm was avoided. They looked into each other's eyes, and silently agreed on the course of action. They placed their other hands on Dean's waistband, one at the back, one at the front.

"On three we're gonna lift you. Don't try to help us, I mean it, Dean" Mark instructed.

The brother's made eye contact again and they hauled the injured man to his feet without a word, the sharp intake of breath the only allowance he gave of the pain that shot through him with the sudden movement.

He couldn't hold his own weight at first, he fell backwards and Mark caught him, resting him against himself, back to chest, as Dean breathed shallow, sharp gasps.

"Slow your breathing, like we did before." Mark spoke low, his voice calm from behind Dean, and he matched, again, his breathing with the other man's.

"You ready?"

Dean took a deeper breath and nodded. He held his hand out to the professor and leaned forward, almost standing on his own.

"This is gonna hurt like a bitch, aint it?" he half joked, and let them help him into the crude harness, straps of rag and rope around his legs, then around his upper torso, great care had been taken to take any pressure away from his injured ribs.

"I'm going up first, so I can help pull you up smoothly, all right?"

Dean nodded. "What do I call you? You're name's Dean, as well, isn't it?" he croaked, trying to sound as normal as possible.

"They've been calling me professor. I can't remember much, I took a hard knock to the head. My own name sounds strange"

"Okay, professor" he gasped, his tenuous hold on consciousness starting to leave him. "Ready when you are"

The professor quickly climbed back up the rope, his experience obvious in his cat like grace.

Dean closed his eyes as a wave of nausea washed over him.

Mark was there, in front of him, his arms on Dean's shoulders.

"Hey. Hey, look at me, Dean" he softly called.

Dean looked down into the vivid blue eyes of the slightly shorter man. "If you need to vomit, then just do it. We can clean you later. This is gonna be tough, I know"

Dean nodded.

"You just listen to me, okay? I'll talk you through it. Just listen to my voice the whole time"

Dean nodded again, then took a breath, he held it for as long as he could, then released it, slowly, through pursed lips.

"I'm ready" he whispered.

Mark looked up and gave the signal.

"Hang on, son, just hang on" Bobby called down. "We'll be as gentle as we can"

The first tug had Dean's eyes bulging at the sheer pain the sling caused him, then he felt his heart speed up and his breathing shallowed out to painful gasps of air.

"Breath, Dean. Just listen to me. In. Out. In. Out" Mark called up.

Dean clamped his eyes shut and tried to ride out the pain.

This was different to the rack.

This was different to hell.

This was real.

This burned and cut.

He tried to follow the gentle man's voice, but his fevered head could take no more abuse.

It forgot where he was.

It forgot what he was doing.

It remembered only pain.

It remembered only agony.

It remembered only loss.

He could take no more.

"SAMMY!" he screamed, his lungs feeling like they had burst forth from his chest, and he passed out.

"Merciful Christ" hissed the professor. "Why couldn't he pass out before we started? Man's got the constitution of a Brahma bull"

"And then some" muttered Bobby, his heart breaking for the pain he had to inflict on the poor man.

"Hurry up guys, I got the wiggins" Alec moaned, he was on watch with a flashlight and a loaded gun.

"Nearly there, squirt. Just holdja water" Bobby looked at the professor. "He's passed out, let's just haul him up"

They did, and pulled him gently through the hole and laid him flat on his back, the professor turned to rescue his brother while Bobby tended to Dean, releasing the sling from around him.

Mark near flew through the hole and to Dean's side, his concern clear on his face and in his ministrations of the downed man.

The professor gave Bobby a raised eyebrow look.

Bobby nodded.

The professor looked at Dean, then back at Bobby.

Bobby shook his head.

"Oh" the professor said.

"Oh, what?" Alec asked.

"Oh, give me the gun before you shoot yer fool head off" Bobby growled, but gave the kid a smile to soften his rebuke.

A low growl coming from around a pile of rubble made them all freeze.

"Pass the flame thrower" whispered Bobby.

"I have another one I brought up from the hole" whispered Mark.

"Pass it to me" the professor commanded, and they readied to confront the creature again.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN... As I am in the middle of the suckiest bit of my sucky life...my car is still broken down, even though I have picked it up twice and broke down on the way home BOTH TIMES! and one of my beloved horses died...I may have trouble getting another chapter up. Then again, I have two days off work as annual leave so I can go Christmas shopping. As I cannot afford, now, to go Christmas shopping, I may just stay home and write...**_


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N...picked up my car...for the second time...paid...for the second time...broke down not 15 minutes down the road...for the second time...**_

* * *

><p>Sherry-Anne turned Sam over and wiped the pebbles from his face. He'd cut his lip, but other than that he seemed fine.<p>

She tried to breathe slowly so she didn't cough, but had to admit since drinking the holy water she felt heaps better.

She shook the tall man's shoulder, trying to wake him.

"Sam. You gotta wake up. I can't do anything if those things come back"

He moaned and batted her hand away.

"Five more minutes" he muttered and tried to turn over.

She had never hit anyone in her life. She had never had any reason. This time, she did.

Sherry-Anne slapped Sam as hard as she could across the face.

His eyes flew open and he gasped at the sharp pain.

"Wake up, man, we got a job to do!" she commanded as strongly as she could. Sam smiled at her. He sat up and waited till his head stopped spinning.

He looked at the little girl. She was tiny. Couldn't be over five feet. Cute as a button, he imagined Dean making some crude comment on her…

God…Dean…

"Did, um, did anyone fid my brother?"

Sherry-Anne stood ad held her had to help Sam to his feet. He gave her an incredulous look. "I don't think you can help me" he said.

"Stop going all macho on me, man, and get up. I've got an injured woman here and I need you to help me bandage her up. And I don't know how to fire a gun if more of those things come after us. So, either you get up on your own or take my hand, but you're getting up and helping me"

Sam smiled at her. Spunky little thing. Dean definitely would like this one.

He took her hand to steady himself and stood. He swayed, just a little, and his stomach hurt like a bitch.

He looked around for his bag, and Sherry-Anne let go his hand to grab the wayward duffle.

"Let me see your stomach." She commanded and grabbed at his parka.

"Um, miss?"

"Sherry-Anne" she told him.

"Yeah, um, Sherry-Anne? Did anyone find my brother?"

She pulled his sweater up and checked the bandages. They were still clean.

"They went looking for him. The professor and your dad"

Sam nodded, his lips pulled tight.

"Show me the lady that needs help"

Sherry-Anne pointed behind him. Erna lay, very still, deathlike.

Sam bent and gently felt for a pulse.

Her skin was hot…way too hot.

He pulled at her parka to expose the bite on her back and she started to scream.

The agony in her voice was soul rendering, she screamed and didn't stop.

"Give me the holy water" Sam turned to Sherry-Anne, his hand outstretched.

She shook her head. "There's none left. We drank it all"

Sam frowned as he remembered. The Zaltys bites were cursed. He needed holy water.

"Can you throw me the bag?"

Sam fossicked through it and pulled out rosary beads and three bottles of water.

Sherry-Anne watched as he chanted in Latin over them, blessing the bottles of spring water.

"You a priest?" she asked him.

"God, no. Anyone can bless water, you just need the words."

He poured the water on Erna's back, but her screams didn't stop.

Her flesh bubbled and burned, and she screamed so loud the roof sent down a fresh spray of soft rubble and dust.

Finally she stopped. Sam leaned in and felt her neck for a pulse. He took his hand away and looked at the little cheerleader.

"She's dead, isn't she?" Sherry-Anne whispered.

Sam nodded.

The girl swiped a tear form her eye and shook her head. "Well, we should go and look for your friends, then. Nothing keeping us here"

Sam was amazed. "You really are a tough little girl, aren't you?"

She frowned at him. "I have been kidnapped by a giant alligator headed, multi armed snake monster, I lost my best friend when that same monster ate her, I've run, I've fought, I've done just about everything except give up. Tough? You betcha. Show me how to use a gun and I'll be more kick ass than you've ever seen in a sixteen year old cheerleader"

Sam almost laughed. Dean would_ really_ like this girl.

The thought of his brother brought him crashing back to the reality of his situation. He gave the girl a quick rundown in shooting a gun and made her drink a good measure of holy water.

He drank a good swig himself and doubled over while it burned the poison out of his gut.

Sherry-Anne stood at his shoulder. "You gonna puke?"

He stood, dwarfing the child. "Let's go"

The girl pointed at the rubble pile. "They went up there. It's also where those things must've come from"

"Okay. Stay behind me, then. And if you see anything move, shoot it" He slung the bag over his shoulder and started to climb.

His stomach wounds were biting him back every movement he made. He tried to ignore them, chewing down on his bottom lip until he drew blood.

The pair climbed the mountain of rock and rubble, slower than Sam wanted but he was not capable of going any faster.

They slid down the other side and Sherry-Anne bounced to her feet, feeling surprisingly good. Sam must've been right, she must've been poisoned by some random touch of blood she hadn't even noticed.

Sam sat at the base of the rubble pile, his head low, and his breaths deep.

Sherry-Anne leaned over him and grabbed another bottle of holy water from the bag and held it to him.

"Drink" she commanded.

Sam turned his hazel eyes to her, the greenish glow from the phosphorescent moss turning them a strange shade of purple. "I'm not sure it will help" he placed an arm around his burning stomach wound. "It's more than just a little blood contamination"

Sherry-Anne twisted the lid off the water bottle. "Drink this or I'll kick your ass"

Sam's lips turned down in a barely suppressed smile. He took a long swig and the water burned the whole way down.

"Drink it all" Sherry-Anne told him quietly. "I feel normal, now. If you can burn all of that poison out of you, then you'll only have to worry about the wound on your stomach. So, drink. All of it"

Sam complied. The water burned.

Bad.

It was all he could do to keep conscious, and somewhere in the spasms of burning and him crying out in pain Sherry-Anne had taken his head and cradled it against her chest, soft words soothing him as he rode the pain.

He wrapped his arms around her, his face buried in her dirty snow jacket.

Slowly, the pain subsided, and his breathing evened out.

He realized he was clutching the child tight and pulled his head back, then took his arms from around her.

Sherry-Anne tipped his chin slightly to look him in the eyes. "You okay?"

He nodded and let her go.

Using her shoulder as a support he pulled himself upright and made sure he could stand without passing out. "Let's go" he rasped, taking Sherry-Anne's hand in his.

He led the way around the winding cave, they walked quietly, trying not to draw the attention of any monsters lurking.

Sherry-Anne squeezed Sam's hand.

"You hear that?" She asked,

She was right. There were voices, distant, echoing, but voices.

They moved a little faster, and rounded a bend littered in baby monster remains, to find Bobby and the professor facing them, flame throwers at the ready.

"Sam?" Bobby sat his flame thrower down and grabbed the tall man in a bear hug. The professor looked at Sam, then Sherry-Anne.

"Where's Erna?" he asked.

Sherry-Anne shook her head. "The baby monsters"

Sam pulled from Bobby. "Have you found Dean yet?"

Bobby stepped aside to reveal Mark sitting on the ground next to his brother, holding his hand and stroking his cheek.

Sam raised his brow. "Um, Bobby? You haven't told him Dean's not gay, have you?"

The professor smiled at him. "Let them be, for now. Keeps him happy"

Sam just strode over to his brother and knelt beside him. Mark looked up at the tall boy, a sad smile on his lips. "He's hurt pretty bad, but you should have seen him, Sam. The amount of pain he went through before he passed out, I don't know how he did it"

Sam felt his heart drop. He did know how Dean did it. He was used to pain. He'd lived his whole life with it, had endured hell's tortures. Yeah, he knew how Dean did it.

Sam touched Dean's face.

"Hey, Dean?" he whispered, and Dean's eyes fluttered open.

Mark gasped.

"Sammy" Dean breathed, then struggled to sit up.

"No, no, baby, you just lie still" Mark told him.

Dean frowned. "What?"

Sam laid a hand on Dean's chest and his brother gasped in pain. Mark grabbed his hand off.

"He's got broken ribs. Must hurt like a bitch"

Sam nodded.

"I'm okay. Get me on my feet" Dean croaked, still trying to pull himself up.

Mark shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea"

Sam gently threaded his arm behind Dean's shoulders and lifted him to a sitting position. "Look. Dean. Me and this kid drank a heap of holy water, it helps. It kills the Zaltys poison. I'm going to make you drink a heap, okay?"

Sherry-Anne handed Sam another of the bottles and he twisted the lid off then handed it to Dean. The green eyes locked with his, then he lifted the bottle shakily to his lips and slugged the water down as quickly as he could.

He dropped the empty bottle and cried out when he felt the burning, and the smoke billowed from his mouth.

Bobby hurried over from his watch position. "What the hell?"

Sherry-Anne placed her hand on Bobby's chest to hold him back. "It's holy water. It burns the poison out of you. Look at me, a shining example of an 'after' photo if you've ever seen one"

Dean grimaced and bucked with the pain. He didn't know how his stomach hadn't ruptured with the pressure of the poison burning in his stomach.

Slowly, the burning settled, but Sam was right there, the water bottle in his hands, forcing him to drink again.

He tried to push it away but the large hands were insistent and he drank, draining the last of the bottle.

Again, he felt the burning, just as intense.

As it started to subside he opened his eyes wide, panic written clearly on his face.

"Oh god, what have you done? What's happening?" Mark cried, but Sam knew that look very well and helped Dean to turn so he could puke.

The poor man vomited himself near inside out, groans wracking him as he did, the stomach convulsions tugged at his injured ribs and ton flesh.

Sam just held him gently until he finished.

Dean could only breath, he was too worn to even talk.

Sam wiped his brother's mouth then handed him another water bottle.

Dean rolled his eyes back and looked at his brother.

"He can't take anymore. You're killing him" Mark was wringing his hands.

"If we don't get rid of the poison, he's going to die. He has to drink"

Nodding, Mark kneeled next to Dean and took the water bottle, he untwisted the lid and held it to Dean's lips.

"I'm right here. Just drink, and I'll stay right beside you" he soothed.

Dean drank. Again, spasms of pain twisted his injured body, and smoke poured from his mouth and nose, but this time there was less.

After he'd stilled, Mark looked at Sam who nodded, and they made Dean drink again, and again, until smoke no longer left his mouth and he could swallow without it burning.

Bobby and the professor watched for monsters, constantly turning back to check the progress Dean was making, worried expressions set firm on their faces.

Dean took a breath as deep as his broken ribs would allow and leaned back into his brother's grasp.

He tilted his head and locked his green eyes, now looking like they were glowing with the cave's reflected shine, with his brother's sincere hazel ones.

"Don't like that water" he whispered.

"I know, Dean. Sucks ass. But it works. Cured me, cured the cheerleader."

Dean closed his eyes, his breathing evening out.

The eyes snapped open again. "Cheerleader?"

Sam chuckled. "Blonde, cute. Smart. Gutsy. She forced me to drink the water. You'll like her"

Dean let his full lips twist into a hint of a smile.

"I already do" he sighed, and consciousness left him.

Mark reached forward with a backpack and helped Sam lay his brother down, the pack a makeshift pillow.

"We caint stay here too long" Bobby called over. "Can we rig a stretcher, or something?

The professor looked over at the trio on the floor, and back at Bobby. "I thought of that, but we only have ropes and some rags. We'd have to drag him." He glanced at Sherry-Anne, checking she was okay.

"Why don't we let him sleep and see how he goes. We could all use some food and rest, then we'll try heading out of here again"

Mark stood and walked to his brother. "How're_ you_ feeling, Dean?"

The professor turned to his brother. _His brother_. It didn't sound so strange, any more.

"Killer of a headache, and I still don't know you…but, I don't get it…I _know_ you."

Mark grabbed his brother in a long awaited bear hug.

The professor hesitated, his face a look of near panic, but then his brow creased, confused, unsure.

He hugged his brother back, softly, at first, then as he felt his chest fill he held him tighter, squeezing until he thought he'd break the stocky man.

"Mark"

They stood, arms wrapped tight, just drawing from each other.

"You remember?"

The professor pulled back. "Mark"

"Yeah, dude. Yeah"

"I don't remember everything, or, anything, really, but I remember you. I do. I can_ feel_ you, Mark. I _feel _you."

Mark grinned. "Yeah, dude, yeah"

"And…"

"What?"

"Um….Blonde. Pretty. My wife?"

"Sally"

"Sally" the professor repeated, tasting the name.

He turned and saw three sets of eyes watching them. Smiling, happy that something good was happening in the midst of this shit.

"Well, my walnut's still cracked, but hey, baby steps, right?"

"Right" Mark slapped his brother on the back. "Okay, there's a bag full of food and water. Let's grab some food, and take a break while my other Dean sleeps"

Sam stood, he looked down at his brother and then back at Mark. "Um, dude? I think there's something I should tell you"

Bobby cleared his throat. "Are you sure, boy? Could be fun, later"

Sam turned to Bobby so that the brother's could not see his face. "Not fair on Mark, though, is it?" he whispered.

"What is it?" Mark looked worried. "What?"

Sam took the man by the elbow and led hem a few yards away from the others.

Bobby grabbed the food bag and handed it to the cheerleader. "How 'bout you share out some rations"

Sherry-Anne busied herself making sure everyone had food and something to drink, making a little pile for each of them.

She handed Bobby his then the professor, and looked up as Sam and Mark came back into the group, Sam's lips thin, Mark looking like someone had told him his puppy died.

She smiled at Sam, and the tall man knew she'd figured it out.

They sat and ate, silently, Mark picking despondently at his.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" an oily voice rang from the darkness, as Bobby and the professor grabbed their flamethrowers and stood.

"I think not" the voice said and both men were sent flying, slamming into the cave walls, the flame throwers dropped, useless.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN...At least Monday, maybe Tuesday, for the next chapter...oh, that's Aussie time!_**

**_P.S...reviews?_**


	19. Chapter 19

_**A/N...wait, I had something, I'm sure I had something, it'll come to me...**_

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><p>The white stretched on forever.<p>

There were hills, hummocks, even mountains in the distance.

All were white.

There were broken trees and rocks.

Again, all were white.

He looked down at himself.

He was naked.

But this time, it was different.

This time he was not whole.

He was broken, cut, sliced; his intestines glittered back at him as he took a breath.

Why had they done this?

Every other time he'd awaken in the white, he was whole, healed.

Covered in blood, but always intact.

This time they had left most of him cut and broken.

One arm was sliced to the bone, his fingers were smashed, hanging off from his hand, tenuous pieces of sinew and cartilage the only thing keeping them attached, as he lifted his arm they swung back and forth.

He could see his ribs exposed, steam drifted from his chest, small crystals of ice were already forming.

His head hurt bad, and he felt like there were creatures crawling around in his veins.

He looked down to his intestines again, and there, sure enough, something black and slug like slid around the coiled lengths of his viscera, moving their evil bodies freely around his ravaged wounds.

He tried, using only one arm, to sit, and after an exhausting few minutes managed to get himself to a near upright position in the freezing snow.

There, near his good left arm…

A plastic toy soldier.

He tried, as hard as he could, to crawl towards it, but his legs were not moving.

He pulled himself with his one arm, dragging himself, pulling with all his waning strength…

His intestines started to spill out onto the snow, the black slug things crawled up into his chest away from the cold.

He finally made it to the soldier.

There, ahead, another one.

This one was covered in a pool of blood, frozen into a brownish red plate of brittle crystal.

Oh god, what was that, in the distance?

"Sammy" he moaned. His tiny brother, not more than a baby…

He crawled, pulling himself with one arm, his guts snagging on his legs and tearing as he moved forward into the snow.

"Aw, Sammy" he cried. The tiny frozen body stared off into forever, the eyes frozen, ice plugging his nostrils and mouth.

He cradled the frozen baby in his arms, wrapping the tortured one around even as it pained him to do so, burying his head into the stiff corpse he cried for the loss of this child, for the weariness on his soul.

He gave his soul so that Sammy could live, but here he was, dead, frozen, forever lost.

Forever lost.

He let himself crumple into the snow, baby still clutched in his arms.

All hope lost.

All lost.

So lost….

X

Sherry Anne saw Sam shuffle back behind the rubble as if he was hiding.

She knew that he was trying to go unnoticed by whoever owned that voice, not that he was being a coward. He had not struck her as a coward in the short time she had known him.

She risked a glance at his brother, but he was still unconscious.

The older man, Bobby, he was down, not moving, the professor was moving one leg but seemed out of it.

Mark was there, crouched like a tiger ready to strike, but that was just it….

Strike at what?

Where was Alec?

She felt in the bag she held, there was a small knife, a flare, nothing else she could really use as a weapon if needed.

A swish and fetid stench heralded the return of the Zaltys and Sherry-Anne felt panic start to rise, she tried to squash it down, keep her head, _keep focussed_ and stay alive.

A tall, dark man rounded the pile of rubble that had been obscuring Sherry-Anne from seeing him.

He didn't look anything out of the ordinary, but she could feel the evil dripping from him like poison.

He looked down at her and smiled, his eyes black, his face slashed into a reptilian grin that reminded her of the stuff of nightmares.

This man, this thing….he was evil.

She could almost taste it.

Mark stood. "Who the hell are you?" he growled.

The man looked at him, his head tilted to one side, soft black, shoulder length hair shining in the green glow.

"You some kind of terrorist? You look like a terrorist. Sound like a Russian" Mark's hands had fisted, he was ready for a fight, but he'd also seen how easily his brother had been thrown against the wall, he wasn't going to start anything until he knew what he was dealing with.

The man frowned. "I am not a…terrorist? Not strictly so. But I do enjoy providing you with the means to be terrified" he flicked one hand, almost casually, and the Zaltys came into view, it's mouth and half it's face was burned, but it was still very much a threat.

"This thing here, for example, I find her a good source of terror, would you not agree?"

The man stepped a little closer. "She enjoyed eating the boy who was relieving himself in the passage as we came along"

Sherry-Anne gasped. "Alec? That thing ate Alec?"

The man grinned and nodded. "His name matters not to me. Tall boy, he had been wandering alone for hours when I found him. Thought he'd been rescued"

Sherry-Anne frowned. Wandering for hours? Then it could not have been Alec…perhaps some other poor survivor. If so, then _where was Alec?_

As if reading her thoughts the boy appeared from the other side of a rock, a gun held high. Without any warning he fired, the bullet hitting the dark man in the lower torso.

The man looked down at the hole, then back at the boy.

A flick of his wrist sent the Zaltys over him, in one snap of its mighty jaws Alec was gone.

Sherry-Anne cried out, her fists at her mouth.

The man laughed.

Mark turned and grabbed the teenager and held her tight as her sobs broke out, finally her resolve was breaking.

The man laughed harder.

Over at the cave wall the professor moaned and sat up, followed almost immediately by Bobby. "So, my intrepid hunter, you awake from your forced slumber. About time. Call your lackey from behind the rock pile, we have things to discuss"

Bobby struggled to his feet, then reached out a hand to the professor.

Sam moved into view.

The man looked at them all, his black eyes reflecting the moss' glow. "So we have, how many?" he turned to count them all. "I have three hunters, albeit one is nearly expired, two park rangers, and a pretty little virgin. I don't need that many. Whom shall I feed to my little pet?"

Sam cleared his throat. "Why do you need anyone?"

The man looked him up and down, then he smiled again. "I see you have been marked. Good. Can you feel the power of my Zaltys as it races through your body, changing your blood, corrupting your insides, turning you into a creature of the night?"

Sam frowned. "Who are you?" he asked, not answering the man's question.

"I know that you are wondering this. I know, also, given time, you may have figured this out. You see my eyes, yes?"

"Demon eyes" Bobby growled.

"They seem this way, do they not? But you are wrong. I am not a demon, although I do inhabit the same body a demon was wearing. It helps to, how would you say this, enhance my power? No, _focus_, that it the right term, it focuses my power!"

"What is your name?" Sam asked it. "If you're not a demon, what are you?"

He tipped his head. "My name is Velnias. I am perhaps like nothing you have seen before"

Bobby grunted. "You're a trickster"

Velnius snorted. "Not really. Well, maybe, yes. But not like the tricksters you may have known. I am a devil. Not a god. I am not so evil as your Lucifer, but I am old, and I am here to provide terror" The Zaltys waivered above him like some grotesque snake charming performance.

"You know what he is?" Sam called to Bobby.

"Yeah. Pretty much what he told you. Lithuanian. Came up in the research on the Taggi. You had somthin' to do with that, dincha?"

The man smiled, his eyes catching the moss and turning it to a sickly hell glow. "I am, after all, a trickster. How wonderful for me, that there was a woman from my home country that called. She confused so much of the spell she was trying. Instead of a simple Taggi, she got a devil!" He laughed again, enjoying having an audience.

"Now, the whole world has gone crazy. Ancient gods and devils can walk the Earth where once they had thought themselves forgotten. I could not believe I was released by an old crone. So, to pay her back, I gave her the protective demons she wanted, but I placed a little bit of _me_ in the mix. And who should be the first to stumble into my web? Hunters, but not just any hunters, no, the very hunters that made the world crazy!"

Sam glanced at Bobby, and received just a flicker of eyes back, even though Bobby remained stone faced.

The rangers just watched, unsure of what to do. Mark was still holding Sherry-Anne, who had stopped crying, but still needed the comfort of the strong arms around her.

"So, what is happening to me?" Sam asked.

"You will become one of my children, a demon trickster of sorts, a minion that will help me rule this world."

"And my brother?"

"He is perhaps too far gone is he not?" Velnius snorted. "So, no loss. I have all I need, and more"

The professor went to step forward and Bobby raised a hand. "Let us deal with this, boy" he whispered. "We got some experience, here"

The professor nodded and stepped back. He looked passed Bobby to his brother. Mark made eye contact and gave the smallest duck of his head.

They were ready, these two, to help in any way they could.

Sam noticed the brothers communicating and felt a twinge in his heart. That should be _him,_ and _his_ Dean, that were readying for a fight.

Not civilians.

Not while his brother lay unconscious and perhaps dying, on a frozen cave floor behind him.

He heard his brother moan, softly, but didn't dare turn to look at him.

"Sammy" he head his name whispered, though he seemed to be the only one that heard.

Dean let out a sob.

"Sammy!" he breathed out, louder this time, and Sam stole a glance behind him.

Dean was having another fevered nightmare, his inner demons taking over while his consciousness had fled.

There was nothing Sam could do to help him. He had to ignore his sickly brother and focus on the creature before him. They could all die if he did not.

Dean moaned again, and then he sounded like he was crying.

Sam took a deep breath and steeled himself against the sound of his brother's suffering.

Velnius nodded. "So, let us move this little gathering of roustabouts into something more useful. I need to take some of you and make a sacrifice of the virgin, and this will open up a realm where I shall gain unlimited power. I shall become as a God, for all to bow before me!"

Mark pushed Sherry-Anne behind him and stood with his shoulders squared.

Velnius laughed. "You think you can protect her? Against my little pet?"

The Zaltys reared up, her monstrous size filling the small cavern and casting a shadow over the devil trickster. Her saliva dripped in a gelatinous puddle in front of him.

"Let the little girl come to me, or you will be devoured" Velnius hissed.

Mark stood firm, his face a rock.

Velnius flicked a wrist and the Zaltys bent forward to snap the hapless ranger into her massive jaws.

And stopped, a roar of pain and surprise breaking forth as a knife sailed passed Sam, passed Sherry-Anne and Mark and found its target in the chest of the dreaded monster.

The Zaltys pointed its face to the ceiling, a wailing screech of agony left its throat as it tried to grab the knife from its body.

Failing, the creature started hiss and crackle as it burned from the knife wound, the fire and glow throughout the massive body as the fire consumed the monster from within.

Velnius looked up at his Zaltys, confusion spread over his face as the monster fell, crashing down on him, crushing him under its unimaginable weight as it hissed and sizzled, smoke billowing from its mouth and nostrils.

"What the fuck?" Mark exclaimed, and everyone turned to look at Sam, who also turned to look behind him.

Dean sat, propped against the rocks, damaged arm clutched across his stomach. At his feet was one of the weapons bags, spilled open, amber knives pulled out, one still held in his good hand.

He grimaced as he tried to straighten, the pull to his damaged body obviously very painful.

"DEAN!" exclaimed Sam, rushing forward to kneel before his brother. "You were unconscious, having a nightmare! My God, Dean, you killed it, you killed that thing!"

Bobby was soon at his side, helping to sit straight. "You always were deadly with yer knife throws, son" he praised, a rare grin splitting his face. "Wish we coulda had that happen a few minutes earlier"

Dean gave him a raised eyebrow. "What?"

Sam brushed off his brother's coat. "You know where you are, Dean?"

His brother turned his fever bright eyes to look at him. "Sammy?" he gasped. "You're alive?"

Sam gave him a soft smile. "Yeah, Dean. I'm alive. You've got a fever again, you've been dreaming" He gently prised the amber knife from the clenched fist. "You killed the monster and you saved us"

Mark stood at Sam's shoulder. "He doesn't even know where he is, and yet he still saved the day?"

Dean looked up at Mark. "I know you" he whispered.

Mark just gave him a sad smile and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, you do"

"Don't know if he saved the day. Don't think that devil thing was killed by the falling snake monster, in fact I'm pretty sure it wasn't" Bobby started to gather up the weapons from around Dean's feet."I'm votin' we get outta here quick smart"

Sherry-Anne appeared and handed Sam a bottle of water. "Can you fix this one so that we can give it to your brother?" she asked him.

Sam quickly blessed the water and helped his brother drink as much as he could until the burning doubled him over.

The professor, his brother and Sherry-Anne gathered up what little supplies they had, and Mark handed a flame thrower to Bobby. _His_ Dean had the other one.

He showed Sam how to lift Dean with minimal stress on the wounds, and clasped Dean tight while Sam hooked a bag over his shoulder and readies to leave the little area.

"Which way?" Sherry-Anne asked. This made everyone stop and look at the little girl.

"Huh" Dean made a chuckle sound.

"Huh, what?" Mark asked him.

Dean turned his face to look at Mark, his expression a little out of it. "Cheerleader" he smiled. Mark shook his head.

"He's incorrigible" Sam looked back to Sherry-Anne. "I'm not sure, I guess we go back the way we came in, if it's not blocked"

Bobby checked his flame thrower. "I'll go first. Professor, you and Mark help Dean, girl, you get between the boys and Sam can bring up the rear. We ready?"

They all nodded in the affirmative and started out, stepping as far around the Zaltys carcass as possible.

They walked quite briskly, Dean slung between Mark and the professor until they came to a large rubble pile, it filled the cave wall to wall, they would have to climb over it. Bobby looked back at his injured surrogate son, lines of worry cutting his forehead.

Dean looked up, feeling all eyes on him. "What?"

Mark hefted him around a little. "You're going to have to climb, Dean. There's no way around. My brother and I can help you, but it's going to hurt."

Dean stood on his own, he swayed a little, but stayed upright. "I"m good" he muttered.

Bobby shrugged. "I'll go ahead, Sam will keep guard from behind"

Sherry-Anne scurried beside dDean. "You can't take the weight on that arm, so I'll climb beside you, and you rest your broken arm on me, okay? Like another arm, or a crutch?"

Dean looked at her and frowned. "Who are you?"

She smiled. "I'm a cheerleader!"

He grinned back at her, looking more like a punch drunk boxer than the level headed hunter he was.

The professor took position at Dean's feet, beside his brother, and somehow the three of them helped the broken man climb the rubble, his sharp gasps the only allowance he had to what must have been near overwhelming pain.

From the top they lifted him and sat him on his rear end so he could slide down the other side, his feet managing to catch him before he tumbled onto his face.

Sherry-Anne was right there, and as she touched his cheek to check on his condition he wrapped his arm around her, his face buried in the dirty parka surrounding her chest.

His gasps were shallow and pained, and he shook from the exertion.

Mark and the professor slid over, closely followed by Sam.

Mark sat beside the suffering hunter.

"Dean?" he spoke softly, soothingly. "Dean, you need to slow your breathing, remember?"

He placed a hand at the back of Dean's neck, feeling how the sweat had soaked through his sweater.

"I'm going to breathe with you, Dean, just listen to me, okay?"

The head nodded but stayed buried in Sherry-Anne's parka.

They breathed, together, slowly reducing the agonised panting, Sherry-Anne cradling Dean's fevered head as he tried to control the overwhelming pain.

Bobby and Sam stood keeping watch, aware of all sounds, Sam looking back at his brother, saddened by how vulnerable he was, allowing strangers to comfort and help him.

Bobby caught his expression and felt a pang around his heart. "He's hurtin' bad, that's for sure" he told the younger man "But at least we know what we're dealin' with now, boy. Keep the holy water up to him, not much else you can do 'bout the other injuries. Just make sure you keep an eye out for any more monsters"

Sam looked over at Bobby. "You knew it was more than Taggi poisoning, didn't you?"

Bobby shrugged, his focus on the cave around him, checking for anything that may move. "I suspected. He shoulda been better ages ago, but he kept getting' sicker. Didn't realise just what it was, though"

Sam nodded. "You think the holy water burnt it out of me and the girl?"

Bobby made eye contact with him. "How're yah feelin'?"

Sam thought for a moment. "Apart from the giant cheese grating on my stomach, I'm feeling all right"

"Well, the kid seems fine, too, and she looked like she was gonna die when we first saw her, so I'm thinking' it's either al gone, or so burned that it can't hurt, for now. I'd like yer both to keep drinkin' holy water, till we're sure"

Sam nodded. "Good idea"

Bobby looked back at Dean. "We need to get this show on the road, pretty much now"

The professor stood and nodded. "Mark? We okay to move?"

Mark stood and helped his brother lift Dean to his feet, Sherry-Anne peeling his arm from her waist as he stood.

They turned to Bobby, ready to make a start, and Sherry-Anne gasped, pointing at the older hunter.

Everyone looked at the young cheerleader as she started to scream.

_(***Velnias devil, not the pure evil being of Christianity, but a trickster. Earlier - dweller or even god of bogs and marshes.)_

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN...one chapter to go, I think...maybe more, depends how my brain figures this out. I don't know if I can post again before the new year, I haven't even started the new chapter yet. **_

_**So, Merry Crisis and Happy New Fear, if I don't see you before then... **_

_**(Reviews? Anyone?)**_


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N...I hope you all had a great Christmas...**_

* * *

><p>Bobby turned to look behind himself, flame thrower ready as one of the small Zoltys lunged at him, another close behind.<p>

Sam burnt them before they were close, but Sherry-Anne was still backing away. Sam lifted a flashlight and shone the beam behind Bobby.

A woman stood there, or at least, something that used to be a woman.

Her hair hung in sticky globs from her scalp, dripping black ooze over her already covered clothes, her mouth a maw of shiny black fangs.

Her yellow skin was coved in boils and pustules, her raised hands ended in black taloned claws. She looked like something from a bad horror movie, only this was no movie, and she was not some extra made up to look the part.

"It's the woman…ah, Mildred!" Mark exclaimed. "You know the ones we sent out to safety?"

Sam frowned. "Um, yeah, Mildred and Raymond, they had that kid, Jason, and their daughter. God, what happened?"

Bobby stepped back as the woman advanced. He set his flame on her and she stumbled, screaming with agony as the flames burnt her.

They did not stop her, nor kill her, she continued to walk towards them, burning, screaming, arms outstretched.

She was truly the stuff of nightmares.

Mark grabbed the back of Sherry-Anne's parka and pulled her behind him. The professor let go of Dean and pulled at Sam's backpack, the third flamethrower had been placed in there. Sam let the bag drop so access was easier, but then he turned and kicked the bag towards his brother, backing up as the woman advanced.

Bobby stopped trying to burn the woman, he reached under his jacket and pulled a gun from the back of his waistband and fired, the bullets hitting her face, chunks flying out from the back of her burning head with each shot.

She fell to her knees but just as quickly stood and kept advancing.

Two shots rang out, a head shot, and a heart shot, and the woman fell flat to the ground, face first, unmoving except for the flickering flames.

Bobby turned and saw Dean, still supported by Mark, his gun in his hands. "Silver" Dean croaked, then pointed his gun at Bobby and fired again.

The baby Zaltys that had leapt at the older hunter fell to the ground, Sam quickly turned it to a charred heap.

Bobby raised his eyebrows and turned back to Dean. The hunter was barely standing, Mark had one arm around the shoulders, the other hooked in the back of his pants to hold him upright.

"Never bitch about my dad's target practice ever again" Sam gasped, noting how his brother didn't even seem to be able to focus, or stand up straight, but a perfect shot was without any effort or thought.

"We better get moving" the professor ordered, again wrapping his arm around Dean's shoulders. Sherry-Anne picked up the unlit flame thrower. "Maybe I can use this?" she asked Sam, and he quickly lit it and showed her how to use it, already respecting the spunky little girl's hardened resolve.

They moved as quickly as they could, the uneven cave floor, the phosphorescent light and the injured hunter making the going slow.

Sam brought up the rear as before, but as they moved he started to feel every foot fall, every step, every breath was a tug on his injured stomach. His clothes seemed to be made of sandpaper, they chafed him so.

Without being asked Sherry-Anne fell back a little and handed him a water bottle. He frowned at her.

"It's the blessed water. You need to drink it" she ordered. "I'm thinking that's what happened to Mildred, you know, monster poison. I've taken another slug, just in case"

Sam took the bottle and drank a large amount. "Did it burn for you?" he asked after nothing happened.

"No, I'm fine. I think all of the poison must've burned out of me already. Do you.." she stopped as Sam doubled over holding his stomach.

He stumbled and lurched forward, one hand on his stomach, one on the ground, smoke rising from his bent figure.

"Bobby!" called out Sherry-Anne, worried that the others would get too far ahead and they would be separated.

She needn't have worried, everyone was stopped, looking back at the hunter as he gasped for breath, panting, groaning, but eventually the smoke dissipated and he stood, hand on the cheerleader's shoulder to steady himself. Without speaking she handed him the bottle again, and he took a more tentative swallow this time.

It didn't burn.

Another slug, and he handed it back.

Sherry-Anne turned and offered the holy water to Dean. He didn't react.

Mark took the open bottle and placed it against the hunter's lips. "You need to drink, Dean" he encouraged.

Dean slowly turned his head to make eye contact with the ranger. "I've had enough to drink. Can't stand by m'self"

Mark smiled in spite of the grave situation, and put the bottle to Dean's lips again. "It's water, man. You have to drink"

Dean raised his eyebrows but took a sip. The bottle stayed there, insistent, so he took another swig.

And another.

He realized everyone was looking at him and swung his unfocussed gaze around.

"Whacha problem?" He croaked.

He belched and let out a puff of smoke. The professor and Mark were ready, as the burning started they had the man supported between them, taking his full weight as he writhed with pain, his injuries making his struggles sluggish and weak.

A few moments and it was over, but he was so worn out that he was barely conscious. Bobby stepped forward and cupped the younger man's face in his palm, his face lined with worry.

"Dean?" he quietly called. The green eyes opened, but didn't seem able to focus on him.

"Son? You need to take another drink, then we gotta move. We gotta get some distance between us and the thing we're fightin'. You hear me, son?"

Dean nodded. Mark handed the bottle to Bobby and got a better grip on the hunter, careful to avoid the many injuries. He looked over at his brother, who nodded to him. He looked back at Bobby, and the older man stepped forward and placed the water bottle at Dean's mouth.

He forced Dean to drain the last of it, the hunter almost choking, but he managed, somehow, to swallow all of it before the burning started.

This time he could not keep conscious, slumping in the supportive arms as the smoke lifted from his nose and mouth.

Bobby frowned. "We caint get too far with you guys carryin' him. We're gonna need to hold up somewhere, til he can help carry his own weight. Or we beat this thing"

The professor nodded. "We need to find a hole, or an alcove like we had before. All we can do is move forward, hopefully something will show up."

Sherry-Anne hoisted her flame thrower and a flashlight high, her chin thrust forward, determined look on her face. "I think I can go ahead, one of you guys can come with me, and we'll scout out a hole while you drag Dean's ass along behind us. How's that for a plan?"

Bobby shook his head, a grim smile there. "You'd make a great hunter girly. Okay, Sam, go with the kid, we'll follow as fast as we can"

Sam looked at his brother, the pain in his face at the prospect of leaving him behind was clear for all to see.

"He'll be fine. I'll be here, no one get's near him with me around" Bobby spoke quietly, reassuring the tall man, his love and concern evident in the timbre of his voice.

Sam nodded. He shouldered his weapons bag, checked his flame thrower and ducked his head at the brothers holding Dean.

Mark offered him a wink. "We'll be right behind you" he promised.

Sherry-Anne led the way, the passage becoming a little narrower but the roof was still high enough for Sam to walk upright. The cheerleader swung the flashlight from floor to ceiling, checking no nasty surprises were ahead of them.

"Do you think we're gonna be okay?" she asked, her voice soft and unsure.

"We'll get out of here. You got five tough men on your side" Sam assured her.

She kept walking, not turning around to face him. "I didn't mean that, Sam. I meant the monster poison. You saw Mildred. You think we're going to turn into that?"

Sam mulled this over for a few minutes. "Last time you drank the holy water, it didn't burn, did it?"

She shook her head. "Just tasted like yuk water."

"Well, I'm thinking you're fine, I might need a few more flushes."

They moved in silence for a bit longer.

"What about your brother? He doesn't look so good"

Sam felt his heart take a small jump at that. "He was poisoned before we even started. Then he got hurt, more than once. And he's hurt bad. But I don't think he'll change. We just gotta keep pushing the holy water into him"

Sherry-Anne sighed. This was such a strange twist. Her life had been parties, school, boys and shopping before this.

She'd pretty much watched every horror movie ever made in the last five years, and knew the drills. Don't wander around in your underwear when there's a scary noise outside. Don't explore haunted houses. Don't say 'Bloody Mary' into a bathroom mirror.

No movie ever had a blonde cheerleader with a bunch of older guys in a glowing cave being chased by a snake monster and a devil. That plot would never sell. And monster hunters? Pffftt… Bad commercial TV.

"Hey" Sam called from behind her.

She turned and looked at what he'd found. He was shining his flashlight at a break in the wall. "This might be what we're looking for. Stand back while I check it out"

Sherry-Anne did as she was told, moving behind the hunter as he looked into the opening.

It was a small chamber, only the one opening. There was not a lot of moss, but enough that he could see what he was doing. There floor of the little room was fairly clear, a few small rocks here and there.

"This is perfect. We can hold up here for a while" he turned to the girl. "Easy to defend. Only one opening"

She frowned. "Easy to get trapped inside"

"When did you become a glass half empty girl?" Sam checked the chamber, then stepped back out.

"I guess when I became the last kid left alive from my camp." She shone her flashlight further down the passage. "Should we check out further ahead?"

Sam shook his head. "Let's get my brother here first. Then we can scout around. You, though, should stay with my brother in the chamber. I think we should try to keep you alive a bit longer"

Sherry-Anne nodded. "I'll vote _yes _on the staying alive bit. I can hear voices, I think it's them"

They walked back the way they had come and before too long found the others, Dean was still unconscious. Sam showed them the chamber he'd found and before too long Mark busied getting Dean as comfortable as he could.

Bobby watched the ministrations, making sure Dean's wounds were clean and still strapped.

He stood and turned to Sam. "He aint doin' too good"

Sam nodded, his lips a straight line. "Can you get any more holy water into him?"

Bobby shrugged. "Soon as he wakes up. Lord knows how much of that devil's poison is through his system by now. And it aint just that. We don't know if he got internal injuries, or infections setting in, or what the hell is goin' on. I'm worried about him, Sam. Really worried."

Sam felt his eyes fill but steeled himself, Dean didn't need any girly moments right now. But for Bobby to be worried, well, that just confirmed his own fears, that Dean was hurt bad this time.

As a hunter he knew they all lived on borrowed time, and too many times they had overstepped the boundary between life and death.

He hoped, with all his heart, this was not to be the last time….

Sherry-Anne stood beside the tall man, her head only reaching his waistline. "Well, okay then. We need to get things ready for when Mt Vesuvius comes back."

"Velnius" Sam corrected. "And you're right. Bobby?"

"How much water do we have left?" Bobby asked.

The professor stood at Bobby's side. "We have a few bottles, and there's water in the cave, see? Running down the wall. I can fill up the empty bottles. We put them all back in the bags"

"Thank God for conservationists. Sam, we need all that water to be holy water. Kiddo? Here, I have a job for you" he took Sherry-Anne into the cave.

Mark had wiped down Dean's face, in his unconscious state the hunter looked very young, the bruises contrasting starkly on his pale skin, his freckles barely seen.

"We need all the men we got to fight this devil thing. I need you to look after Dean"

Mark looked up, and nodded. He knew he would be wasted here by the injured man's side. Sherry-Anne whirled on Bobby, her face dark with anger.

"You're making me play nurse maid? I think I've proven I can do more than that!"

Mark stood beside her, one hand on her shoulder. "That's not in question. But you've seen how Dean saved us all, more than once now, so we need you to keep him safe till he wakes up. Bobby will give you a gun, and I'll make up a torch, so you have fire to fight with as well. This isn't a babysitting job, you're playing guardian to a fallen solder"

Sherry-Anne nodded. "All right. Yeah, okay, I can protect Dean. Show me how to use a gun"

Sam looked at the red haired man as he walked out of the cave. "Dean's never going to believe he was snuggling up to a gay guy, and a cheerleader protected him. That's just not the way my brother operates"

Mark huffed a laugh. "Yeah, my Dean is the same. Don't let him show any sign of weakness if he's got a limb hanging off, but screams blue murder if he gets a splinter."

Sam smiled. "No chick flick moments"

Mark looked incredulous. "You're kidding, he says that? So does mine!"

"Car mad?"

"Horses. Quarter horse paint mare"

"Sixty seven jet black Impala"

Mark sighed. "He's my perfect guy, you know that. Apart from the not being gay, that is"

"_Your_ Dean isn't gay, either"

The professor walked over to them, he was fiddling with a flame thrower. "What are you two girls gossiping about?"

Sam smirked. "Like twins"

Mark ducked his head. "Pretty much"

"Okay, the kid's all set with a gun and a torch, Dean's still sleeping beauty. I found the book that gives us some intel on this Velnias creep" Bobby called out.

"Well, I think we need to keep watch, say, two on, two off?" Mark looked at his brother. "How about we start, then they can take over after a few"

"Sounds like a plan" the professor agreed.

Sam gave them both weapons, silver bullets loaded, and they already had the flame throwers.

Bobby handed Sam the slim book as he sat beside his brother. Sherry-Anne handed him a bottle of water, her expression again giving him no room for refusal.

The water burned less, but it still burned, reminding him that the Zaltys poison was still in his veins. If he only got that one hit from the monster, how was his brother even staying human, with two poisonings and the injuries as well?

He flicked the book open to the passage Bobby had marked and started to read.

Mark leaned back against the cold, damp wall and looked at his brother. "Do you remember any more?"

The professor looked at him, then back down the dark passage. "Yeah. Stuff comes to me, here and there. I have a horse, a mare, that I really like, don't I?"

Mark turned his head to keep watch on his end of the passage. "You love that girl almost as much as your wife"

Silence followed this remark, and Mark thought maybe his brother couldn't remember any more.

"You're wrong, you know" the professor finally broke the silence.

Mark frowned, daring a glance at the other man, only to find his back was turned.

"Wrong about what?"

"The horse. I love that horse, I remember her. But I don't love anything, or anyone, more than my wife"

Mark smiled, but didn't say anything.

"You come damn close, though"

Mark felt his heart fill. He sighed. "And I love you too, Dean"

"Fairy"

"Dick"

Both men smiled, though neither looked at each other.

A shuffle of sound, and they both turned, flame throwers ready.

A small Zaltys leapt at the professor and he smoked it before it was even close.

Another came, and another.

Bobby and Sam joined the two brothers, flame thrower and guns ready.

They fought off at least ten more creatures, easily defeating them, then an eerie red glow lit the cave.

This was different to the moss light. A soft humming started and the glow intensified.

"Show time" Bobby muttered, and all the men readied to fight.

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><p><em><strong>AN...what are you still doing here? Surely this story can't be that interesting...I mean, hardly anyone leaves a review...**_


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N...here we are, at the end... thank you for the reviews, I do love them! I hope I have not missed anyone in my replies...**_

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><p>Bobby stepped back, a glance behind him to make sure the room he had left Dean was secure. "Make sure nothing gets behind us" he ordered.<p>

"Goes without saying" Sam grunted, but stepped back a little to make sure the small mouth of the cave was blocked by his frame. From his position he could see his brother, so he risked a quick glance and found Sherry-Anne sitting in front of the prone man, gun in one hand, flaming torch in the other, her face grim. She gave Sam a wink.

Sam ducked his head in acknowledgement then turned back to face the oncoming threat.

The humming grew louder and the glow intensified.

Behind him, Sam could hear his brother call out, and Sherry-Anne quickly try to soothe him.

He shook his head to clear it. It would do no one any good if he was distracted by his worry for his brother, stuck once again in a fevered nightmare.

"You sure those patterns you drew on the cave roof are going to do anything?" asked Mark.

"Yer gonna have to trust us" gruffed Bobby.

"And we're gonna have to trust whoever wrote that little book of yours" Sam groaned as the crescendo of light and sound threatened to overwhelm the men.

Then, all sound stopped.

The scurrying sound of more small Zaltys heralded the creepy entourage of the Velnius and the men stood, crouched, ready.

They were rewarded with the appearance of the devil creature, a man and girl, both transformed the way Mildred had been, were walking slightly in front.

Sam fired a silver bullet into each of their heads and they toppled, dead, blocking Velnius' way. He simply kicked them aside and progressed, his swarthy face twisted into an evil sneer.

Mark let loose his flamethrower, burning the small snake monsters and covering Velnius with flame.

"You cannot bury me with creatures, shoot me with silver, or burn me with fire!" the devil roared and raised one hand sending Mark slamming back into the cave wall, flamethrower dropped and useless.

"No!" screamed the professor as he lunged at the devil but Bobby was quick, he grabbed the man by the back of the collar and yanked him onto his butt.

"Wait!" he hissed. "Just wait"

Sam stood to his full height, gun still in his hand, but it was pointed at the floor. Bobby stood, legs splayed, making sure the professor was behind him as he faced down the Baltic horror.

"So, I guess your broken friend has passed from this mortal realm. And the girl? Where is the girl?" Velnius frowned but then noticed the cave mouth behind the men. "So, keeping my virgin safe? How noble. Futile, but noble, nonetheless."

Sam tipped his head a little. "What do you want with her? What do you need us for?"

The dark man stepped closer, his frown tinged with a sneer. "Why should I enlighten you? I have already had a little discussion with you, and you repaid me by killing my precious pet! You know what I want to do, and you know I will use the virgin, and two of you to do it. The other two? Well…who cares?"

He stepped a little closer. "I think maybe I shall eat your liver. Or make you dance as I peel off your skin. Either way, I will be pleased."

"Are there any more of those little pets of yours?" Bobby asked.

The devil man looked at him, his head tipped to one side. "They are all wiped out now thanks to your little band of killers. A great creature, that has survived a millennia, and you have made them extinct. You should be ashamed."

"Yeah, I'll be losing sleep over that one" Bobby muttered. He chanced at glance at Sam, who nodded, even though his attention was straight ahead.

"So, ultimate power, ability to rule all, blah blah blah. Do you know how many times my brother and I have heard this shit, yet, still, none of you have ever managed to ascend to anything other than a place in purgatory?"

Velnius frowned. "You seem overly confident. Is there a little trick up your sleeve? Or are you just very stupid?"

He stepped forward and raised one hand a little, then his face registered the shock as Bobby jumped one way, the professor another, a rope between them pulled tight flicked up and around his feet and slapped him face first into the ground.

He rolled over, his face a picture of anger, and tried to sit up. Sam was reciting, quickly and accurately, a Latin exorcism, and this made Velnius writhe and groan with the pain of his demon passenger being cast from the meat suit.

It was over in moments, head thrown back and the black smoke billowing from the swarthy man's mouth.

All was quiet, the only sound the breathing of the men and the slow dripping of water on the cave wall.

Velnius growled and bent forward to pull the rope from his feet. He brushed off his clothes and stood. His face was read with anger and his eyes now glowed a fiery orange.

"That was a wrong decision, you stupid pond scum! You have enraged me. Do you know what happens when you enrage me, Velnius, scourge of the weak, trickster and devil of the underworld?"

"Hopefully, not much" Sam quipped as he threw the amber knife.

His aim was good, almost as good as Dean's, but the devil twisted and the knife flew by him.

Bobby threw the knife he was holding and the devil again avoided it, his movements too fast, too supple, for the men to match.

He smiled.

Both Bobby and Sam threw at the same time, hoping he could not avoid both knives.

He dodged easily, but this time he moved forward.

Into the devils trap.

He realized he was stuck, and his smile turned feral. "This? You trap me with scrawlings? Stupid, stupid humans"

He raised his hand and the cave shuddered, dust and chunks of moss fell, but the trap stayed intact.

"We added a few Enochian symbols, just to give it flavor" Bobby grinned. "We do have a little trick or two, and if you're trapped, sooner or later we'll get through to you. You can only dodge for so long"

He moved as he spoke, trying to get the devil to follow his movement so Sam could creep around behind and retrieve the amber knives.

Velnius turned as Bobby moved, but he looked annoyed. He flicked one hand and Bobby flew back against the cave wall, hitting hard, then he slumped in an unconscious heap on the ground.

He turned to face Sam, inclining his head and waggling a finger as he did so.

He pointed to the other wall and Sam flew into it, smashing hard and landing in a crumpled heap beside the unconscious Mark.

From behind him the unnoticed professor collected up the knives, and threw one, ten another, his aim good, but not good enough.

The knives went clattering into the small cave holding Sherry-Anne and Dean, and Velnius turned to face the hapless man behind him.

"Well, looks like I have my first volunteer for being peeled alive!" He raised his hand and the professor rose up, his feet dangling, his eyes bulging at the pressure on his chest. He started to scream, his agony echoing through the cave walls.

Blood started to drip down his forehead as a strip of his scalp rip away from his skull, lifting up like an apple being peeled. The pressure on his chest increased and the screaming stopped, no longer was the poor man able to draw a breath.

Gunshot rang out and the professor dropped into a heap on the ground as Velnius turned to face who had shot him.

Sherry-Anne stood there, gun in her hands, her face a mask of fear as she realized that her bullets had only delayed the inevitable, not stopped it.

"Well, well, well. The little virgin appears." He crossed his arms, the bullet hole that was in his shoulder still smoking. "You should know, little one, that bullets cannot hurt me. Only the amber knives can do me damage, and only if they pierce my heart. I can't see that happening now, can you? All of your protectors are dead. And you know what else?" he smiled and Sherry-Anne stepped back, the gun still pointed at the trickster's form.

He flicked his wrist and she flew up and hit the roof, her skull making a sickening crack, before falling in a heap on the cave floor. "I don't need you to be conscious for what I have to do"

He looked at the cave roof, trying to figure out how to break the trap that had him ensnared. Reaching a decision he turned and pointed at the professor, and the barely conscious man rose to the ceiling, his body floating to the place the devil was pointing.

Moving his hand back and forth the devil used the professor's body as an eraser, wiping away enough of the trap to free himself.

When he was done, he let the professor fall to the ground, all consciousness having left the poor man.

He smiled. This was all he needed. He had the monster draw enough bodies here, more than enough, and now he was ready.

He would use the two men and the virgin, and he would turn the other two men into monsters to serve him.

Yes…good plan.

He was more than pleased with himself.

He brushed off his arms, ready to start, when a soft thunk of a sound, a small pressure in his chest, and he stepped back, not sure what had happened.

Another thunk, and he looked down.

Two knives stuck from his chest, both so close together that they appeared joined.

Both had pierced his heart.

He looked up, confused.

How had this happened?

Everyone was unconscious; he had made sure of that.

There was no one to oppose him.

Then, as he fell to his knees, thick greeny-black ooze started to leak from his eyes and his ears he saw movement ahead of him.

The broken man, the one that he had marked as his own by the Taggi stood there, supporting himself by the cave mouth with one arm, gun in the other.

"I had thought you perished" Velnius whispered, his life force starting to ebb from him.

The man raised his gun, and Velnius lost most of his skull when the repeated shots of silver hit him in quick succession.

His body fell to the ground, lifeless, and slowly dissolved into the thick dark green ooze.

X

Dean dropped his gun when the firing pin hit an empty chamber. He coughed, the action causing colored spots to float in front of his eyes.

He forgot what he was doing.

He had just shot someone.

Or something.

His head hurt like a bitch.

His tongue hurt.

Why did his arm hurt?

And his hand, he had fired the gun with it, but it hurt.

Bad.

And it had a bandage on it.

He stumbled along the passage, one hand on the wall, his injured arm across his chest to try and relieve some of the pain there.

He was hot.

So very hot.

He walked, somehow, for ages, one hand on the wall, a slow, steady march, one foot in front of the other.

For a long time he didn't think, not of anything, other than walking.

He was tired.

So very tired.

Sam.

Where was Sam?

He lifted his head, his eyes unfocussed, he gaze unsure.

It was so dark, only green light here and there.

Ahead.

Light.

He was sure.

He walked, still groping the side of the cold, damp wall, though his hand was now so cold itself that he could no longer feel.

He came to the cave mouth, white spread out before him.

White.

Everything was white.

As far as he could see, it was all white.

Aww…God…. He was in hell again.

And Sam.

Where was Sam?

He stepped out into the snow, at first it was not so thick.

He stumbled forward.

Sammy.

He had to find Sammy….

X

X

X

X

X

Mark couldn't stand it anymore.

The thump, thump, thump of the drum beat was too much. Those damn teenagers staying in the cabin were at it again, playing their techno-house-club-whatever music so loud he couldn't sleep.

He moved his head, and the thumping grew louder.

It wasn't music.

It was his head.

It was pounding to his own heart beat.

With great effort he opened one eye.

Dark.

No, not quite dark…..

It was green. A soft green glow.

In a flash it all came back to him.

The monster, the cave, his brother Dean.

And the other one, the other Dean.

Dean.

God, where was Dean?

He pushed himself to a sitting position and scrubbed his other eye with a gloved fist.

He looked around.

There was his brother, on the ground, face down.

Pushing himself to his feet, he swayed a little, then steadied as he lunged forward and fell at the side of the unconscious man.

There was blood, so much blood, covering his head and face.

As Mark rolled him over his eyes flickered open and he took a gasp of breath and started to scream.

"Hey, hey, Dean, it's me, it's Mark" he soothed, cradling the thrashing man in his arms.

The professor stopped straight away. "Mark?"

"Yeah, bro, it's me"

The professor struggled to sit up and Mark helped him. "That thing, oh God, that thing.."

Mark pulled his brother's head close. A large flap of scalp swung off, he looked like someone had attempted to scalp him. Blood soaked his hair, ran down his neck, his ears were full.

"Dean, what happened to you?"

"That devil thing guy, he was peeling my skin off while he held me to the roof. God, Mark, it hurt so much"

A groan from the side of the cave caught their attention, and Mark turned back to where he had been lying. The large form of another raised itself, and as the green glow hit his face Mark saw that it was Sam.

The hunter looked across at the two men. "Are you okay?" he asked them.

"My brother is hurt, but I'm okay, I just woke up. I mean, my head hurts, but I think I'm okay" Mark watched as Sam approached.

"We better bandage that. I'll find a bag. Where's Bobby?"

A moan from the fallen man replied to him as Bobby pushed himself upright, his legs straight out in front of him as he leaned back against the cave wall for a moment.

Sam rushed to him. "Bobby!" he gasped. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

The older man raised his hand. "Calm down, boy. I'm okay, my head's just spinning a little. Check on your brother and the girl."

Sam turned and noticed the small bundle on the floor. He bent down and scooped the cheerleader into his arms. She groaned and opened her eyes.

"Am I dead?" she whispered.

Sam smiled at her. "I think heaven would look a lot nicer than this. No, you're not dead"

She closed her eyes again. "I thought for sure he would kill me. He was so angry when I shot him"

Bobby stood, one hand on the wall to steady himself. "You shot Velnius?" he asked, shocked.

Sherry-Anne indicated to Sam that he could put her down. "Everyone was unconscious. He was peeling the professors scalp off without even touching him, and he was screaming, it was terrible. It was all I could think of to do, but then he threw me into the roof. I got knocked out"

She looked at the ooze on the ground, two knives sticking out from the mess. "Is that him? Who killed him?"

Sam frowned. He turned and looked at the mess on the floor, then at Bobby, who shrugged. "I been out of it. Missed the show"

Sam ducked his head to look into the chamber they had left his brother in.

It was empty.

"Bobby!" he called, panic in his voice. "Dean's gone!"

Bobby ran over faster than his still spinning head liked and he stumbled into Sam, who caught him and leaned him against the wall. "He's gone, he's not in there!" Sam gasped at him.

Bobby frowned. "Grab the flashlights, scout around, see what we can find." He grabbed the bag nearest the mouth of the cave and pulled out the first aid kit.

"Heads up" he called as he threw it to Mark.

Bobby, Sam and Sherry-Anne started to search around the passage for anything large enough to be the hunter. Sam scaled the pile of rubble they had climbed over earlier, shining his flashlight back and forth.

Nothing.

They continued to search, Sam calling out his brother's name with increasing panic lacing his voice while Mark bandaged his brother's head.

The professor stood up, Mark lending him a hand until he felt steady enough to stand on his own.

The three searchers returned, Sam's face grim, Bobby's just as bad.

"Do you think that, um, that guy-thing, do you think it killed him?" Sherry-Anne whispered.

Sam looked down at her, his leg starting to jiggle with nervous tension. A drip of sweat beaded and tricked down his face.

"Don't say that. Don't….you don't know" He swiped at the sweat with a fisted hand.

Bobby found a bottle of water and handed it to Sam. "Drink. Now. We need you as whole as we can have you" he commanded.

Sam sat down and drank a large amount of the water, his head on his knees as the burning started.

This time it didn't last as long, and he didn't feel as weak once it was over.

He took another large slug, and it didn't burn at all. He stood up and handed the bottle of water to Sherry-Anne and watched as she drank.

She waited a moment, then capped the bottle. "No reaction" she quietly informed hm.

Sam nodded. He looked around, not sure what to do.

Bobby grabbed up the bags, allocating them around, and Mark started to pick up the flamethrowers and any blades he could see.

"Okay, I got one, wait, two, flame throwers that work, the third one is totaled. I got three amber knives, unless you want me to pick the ones outta the goo, and two guns" Mark called to Bobby.

Sam turned to Mark, his hand outstretched. "Show me the guns" he asked.

Mark handed them over, and Sam's face scrunched with emotion. "This is Dean's. It's the one that had the silver bullets in it"

"Don't touch the goo, either" Bobby instructed, stepping forward. "It may be as poisoned as the Zaltys blood."

He looked at the gun, and at Sam's face. "We need to get moving. If Dean has wandered off, we need to find him." He spoke quietly, but with authority, he needed Sam to focus. "Suck it in, and man up. We have to find him."

Sam nodded. He tucked the gun into the backpack Bobby was handing him, and pulled out another weapon. He handed this to Mark, and pulled out one for himself.

Bobby handed the professor a gun, and raised an eyebrow when the cheerleader held her hand out, palm up.

She cocked an eyebrow right back at him. "I think I proved I can pull a trigger" she told him, so he handed her a gun, fully loaded, and showed her the safety switch.

They had only three unbroken flashlights between them. "I'll lead, Bobby, can you bring up the rear?" Sam asked, and turned without waiting for an answer.

Dean had to be okay. He had to. They had gone through too much for him not to be….

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><p><em><strong>AN...okay, okay, I lied, it's not finished. The end is in my head, it's just taking a lot of words to get it out... Reviews might help!**_


	22. Chapter 22

_**A/N...no lies this time, we really come to the end...**_

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><p>Everything was white.<p>

The helicopter took another sweep over the vast empty landscape of white.

As far as the eye could see, all was white.

There was a mountain in the not too distant horizon, they had buzzed over it but it had been ruled out as anywhere survivors could have been, it was just too far away from where any of the attacks had occurred.

Fuel was low so they headed back to base.

On the ground, unseen by the aerial search crew, a lone figure struggled forward in the deep snow. He was feverish, tired, injured, and running on determination only.

He had heard the chopper but didn't understand what it was.

Normally, there was no noise.

Or there was, but it was his own heart beat, his own struggled breath, his own anguished cries of longing and defeat.

The strange thumping noise, that was new. He didn't understand it, but it was gone now.

And this time he wasn't naked.

He was injured, he could feel every broken bone, every slice on his skin, but they were covered with fabric. Hot, chafing, uncomfortable fabric.

He reached up, found a knitted ski cap on his head and pulled it off, dropping it in the snow as he walked.

How long would they make him walk this time?

How far would he have to go until he found the blood?

Till he found Sammy, dead, or dying, a frozen boy in the snow.

All was white.

As far as he could see, all was white.

He pulled at the zipper to his heavy parka, he was so hot.

So very hot.

He pulled until it gave way, ripping apart.

He shed it as he walked.

There was a breeze, not too hard, but it cooled the sweat that had soaked his clothes.

He walked, struggling in the deep snow.

All was white.

As far as he could see, all was white.

He started to shiver.

X

X

X

X

"Which way, Bobby? Which way do we go?" Sam was becoming frantic. He had fund signs of the scuffed cave floor, and a discarded bandage at the cave mouth, right beside the clear impression of where Dean must have fallen.

Bobby placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Calm down, boy. Remember yer trainin'. We can find him"

Mark stepped up beside him. "My Dean and I are park rangers, we can track anything, anywhere, any time. We'll find him, Sam, I promise"

Sam nodded, his chin wobbling with emotion. Sherry-Anne stepped next to him and took his hand. She gave it a squeeze and led him forward, following Bobby and the Daniels brothers, the professor's head sporting stark white bandages instead of a balaclava, the others covered, hooded and zipped up against the below freezing temperature.

"What about the snow mobiles?" Bobby asked.

"They're around the other side, we need to track Dean on foot."

Bobby thought about this for a moment. "If we find him I'm pretty sure we'll need the cats to get him to any kinda help. Let the rangers track him, you, me an' the girl get the cats and we catch up to them"

Sam looked at the bright grey sky. "_When_"

"When what?" Bobby asked, his brow lined.

"_When_ we find him, not _if_"

"You know what I mean, boy. Just get the lead out. The sooner we get the snowmobiles, the sooner we get back to the search. You guys cool with that?" the last part he directed to the rangers, and they nodded.

"We'll follow the tracks. How far away are your vehicles?"

Bobby shrugged. "Just not here. Didn't scout the landscape too much before we entered, didn't know there was this entrance." He looked behind himself. "Caint be too far, Dean walked out pretty much the way we came in, only took a coupla different turns"

Mark nodded. "We head this way" he said, pointing "It's not snowing now, so you should follow us easily. God speed"

The three trudged off, the thick snow making going slower than they liked. Sam ignored his wounded stomach, each step pulling and straining on the many wounds, but he could think of nothing but finding his brother.

The rangers watched them only for a few moments. "Ready?" the professor asked.

"Born ready. You okay?"

The professor nodded his bandaged head. "It hurts, it does, but I can cope. The cold is numbing it a bit, and I know we'll be out of all this soon. We just got to find that poor guy. He's not going to last long out here"

They moved into the deep snow, unfortunately there had been a light fall since Dean had emerged, making tracking difficult.

But not impossible.

The men were experienced trackers, they had grown up in the area and knew it well. Though they had not ventured to the mountains a lot, the terrain was not that much different to their usual riding trails.

They tracked for about half an hour when they heard the distant roar of the snow mobiles, the vehicles catching p to them in no time at all.

Sam climbed from his cat and frowned. "Nothing yet?"

"Don't worry, Sam, we've got good tracks here, and he can't be moving very fast." The professor scrubbed a gloved hand across his stubbled chin. "He was hurt bad. He can't be too far away"

Sam nodded, his face a picture of worry and concern. He turned as Mark called out, only a little way ahead of them. "I found something!"

All the snow cats turned off, the three men and the girl ran as best as they could to see what Mark had found.

He was banging a knitted ski cap against his thigh to remove the snow. He handed it to Sam as he approached, and Sam clutched it tight in his large hand. "It's Dean's" he confirmed.

"Hey, look, there's something else!" Sherry-Anne called out.

Sam leapt over to her, his long legs making the going easier. She pointed ahead, a lumped shape in the snow, buried mostly, but still bits of clothing poking out.

He ran towards it, his steps ungainly in the knee deep snow, his arms wind milling to keep his balance…his heart stopping when he realized it was Dean's parka.

He fell to his knees beside it, the soft snow burying him to his waist. Gently, he brushed the snow from the jacket, only then realizing his brother wasn't buried with it.

"Balls!" Bobby gasped as he approached Sam.

"He's not here, he's not dead" Sam said to him, confused with Bobby's reaction.

"Also means he's in the snow, no hat, no coat. He must be feverish. We gotta find him, and soon"

X

X

X

X

Sally pulled the mare around, she was a good horse, never doubted it, but she was belligerent in the snow. More than once she had to really give her a good boot to the flanks to get her to move forward.

The going was tough, Sally knew, with the snow covering over half of the horse's legs, but she could cover more ground with Dean's mare, and if she found him, she could get him back using the horse.

She had grown sick with worry while she waited for news, the makeshift police station becoming cloying and she couldn't stand the looks of sympathy from the official staff any longer.

She had run at first, with all of the other survivors, to the helipad every time the chopper returned, but after over a dozen times of it coming back empty only to refuel or change staff, she had given up hope of them locating her husband or bother in law.

With the excuse of going home to shower and change her clothes she had finally escaped the sympathetic arms of the local constabulary.

Horse saddled, spare jacket, blankets and a thermos of hot chocolate she headed out. She had been riding for hours now, and the horse had had enough.

Sally felt that way, too. She sighed. Maybe she should go back, grab something to eat and change mounts. The horizon was starting to darken, and she didn't want to have this horse out any longer.

The mare was more than happy to turn back towards home. It trotted, high stepping in the deep snow, until a snort and an half rear brought Sally's attention to the furrow in the snow they had ridden into.

The track cut deep, someone had forged their way through here. The sides of the furrow were dotted with blood, and here and there she could see hand prints.

The mare didn't like the smell of the track, but she complied with Sally's insistent request to follow.

The blood became tinged with some greeny-black dots after a while, and as the horse carefully stepped further Sally started to find items of clothing, at first a glove, then a sweater.

A flannel shirt soon flowed, frozen stiff, as if it had been wet when it was discarded. The front of the shirt was covered with blood and the black goo.

Further ahead, finally, she saw the man that had been making the furrow in the snow. He was almost on his knees; it seemed he had been trying to move forward in a crouched position, one arm wrapped around his stomach, the other around his chest.

His hair was not red.

He wore only a thin t-shirt and jeans, thankfully he still had on his boots. Sally leapt from the horse and ran to him, turning him around to see who it was.

His face, though bruised and battered, was familiar. She couldn't place where she had seen him, but she was sure she had seen him before.

She touched his throat to check for a pulse and the eyes fluttered open.

They were bright green, the color standing out even more as they contrasted the red rimmed lids. His lashes were long, almost girlish, and curled.

His paper white skin was dotted with several light freckles, and his full, pouting lips were blue with the cold. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead.

He looked about wildly, unfocussed, confused, and obviously very feverish.

"Sammy?" he croaked.

"Sally" she replied, softly, and as he locked his fever-bright eyes with hers she remembered who he was.

"You're Dean, right? Homeland security?"

He reached out a bandaged hand, his arm strapped expertly, the bandages tied with a nobby little bow.

The same way her husband and his brother tied bandages.

"Dean?" she asked him, and he waved his hand. She realized he was trying to stand up. She grabbed his other arm as it appeared less injured and pulled, making the poor man gasp in pain.

She let him sink back into the soft snow mound.

"Dean, can you hear me?" she tried again, her voice soft and soothing. He lifted his eyes to hers again.

"Mom?"

She frowned. This poor man didn't know who or what he was. "It's not mom, Dean. My name is Sally. You saw me, in town. Can you remember?"

He looked at her and a crease formed between his eyebrows. "Sammy?"

He sighed, and she swore she could hear sorrow in the sound.

"Stay here, I'm going to get a blanket. Can you hear me, Dean?"

He looked up again, his gaze not quite focused.

She pulled the horse a little closer and grabbed a blanket from the saddle bags. This man was dying. You didn't have to be a doctor to figure that out. His fever was burning his body from the inside, the snow was freezing him from the outside.

She tried to lift him forward to wrap the blanket around him and again he cried out in pain.

Sally carefully lifted the hem of his blood soaked t-shirt. He was a mess. He had been bandaged, his ribs strapped tight, but he had a large seeping wound on his stomach that had soaked the bandages covering it, and another on his right chest.

She felt a frozen hand touch her face.

"You're real" he whispered, for the first time she felt he could really see her.

"Yes. I'm real. My name is Sally"

"Sally" he sighed, closed his eyes and leaned back into the snow.

"Dean, I need to get this blanket around you. I'm going to pull you forward, okay?"

He opened his eyes again, a blink the only acknowledgement that he understood her.

She gently pulled him by his good arm, he hissed and bit down on his lip to stifle a scream but tried as best as he could to move with her. She pulled the blanket around him and let him sit back.

"Dean?" she brushed his forehead with her gloved fingers. Even with the gloves on she could feel the heat radiating from him.

His sweat was funny, too. It was a dirty greenish color, and his eyes seemed filmed by the same weird color.

"Did you find my husband?" she asked him. "And maybe Mark, his brother?"

Dean frowned, she could see he was trying to concentrate to make sense of what she was saying.

"Mark?"

"Yes Dean, did you find Mark?"

We looked away, his gaze unfocussed. "Mark bandaged me. He breathed…" his voice trailed off, so Sally touched his cheek again.

"Dean, did you find my husband? The other Dean? Mark's brother?"

He looked at her, his eyes squinting, trying to focus on her. "Mom?"

"No, honey, I'm not your mom." She sighed. She wasn't going to get much more from him, it seemed.

"Cheerleader" he whispered. "Found a cheerleader"

Sally grabbed the jacket and the thermos from the saddle bags.

"Professor"

She stopped, frozen in place, her stomach a cold stone.

"We found the professor"

"You found Mark's brother? The professor, was he Mark's brother, Dean?"

The injured man looked at her, and he coughed. Specks of a black, viscous liquid few out, but did not hit Sally.

"We found…..we found people. We found them, but they, I think, I think…."

He looked back up to her.

"Sammy?"

"_DEAN_" a distant voice called.

Sally climbed out of the furrow, and she heard the sound of motors, maybe snow mobiles, they were far off.

"_DEAN_" the voice called again.

Sally was prepared. She was married to a park ranger, after all.

She grabbed the rifle from the saddle bags and discharged two shells.

The horse barley moved, she was well trained.

The injured Dean cried out, his limbs flailing, and Sally jumped back into the furrow to comfort him.

The sound of the snow mobiles engines grew louder, and Sally turned and grabbed the reins of the horse.

Three snow cats pulled up and Sally drew a sharp breath at the site of Mark Driving one.

Behind him, his head bandaged, was her husband. He climbed off the vehicle and walked towards her.

Sally climbed out of the furrow and leapt into his arms, sobbing, laughing and screaming all at the same time.

The professor hugged her back with no hesitation. Mark joined them in a group hug.

"Sammy?" called Dean, his arm outstretched as he tried to stand.

"Dean!" Sam near flew off his snow cat, Sherry-Anne and Bobby jumping from the last one to follow him, Bobby pulling a bag with him.

"Oh god, Dean" groaned Sam, seeing the condition his brother was in, the greenish-black goo now dripping from his eyes, nose, ears and mouth.

Bobby pulled out two bottles of holy water and handed the bag back to Sherry-Anne. "Keep 'em coming, kiddo" he ordered her, and turned to the hunter on the ground before him.

He pulled the cap off the first one and poured it over Dean's head and shoulders, a gasp from the injured man as the frigid water hit his skin.

"What are they doing, what are you doing?" screamed Sally.

The professor held her tight as she tried to jump back and help the injured man.

She stopped, confused, as the water started to hiss and bubble where it had touched his skin, his clothes and his hair. The injured man cried out with the burning pain.

"He's been poisoned, he needs this or he'll die" her husband explained.

Mark turned to look at his brother. "And how are you doing?'" he reached out and touched Sally's arm. "He's had a little amnesia"

"I'm good, bro. Nearly everything's coming back. As soon as I saw Sally, well.." he kissed his wife on the top of the head. "She's my everything"

Mark nodded and jumped down with the four in the furrow. "You may need my help" he explained.

Dean turned his face to Mark as the sizzling stopped. His eyes were not quite focused, but the black goo had gone.

"Okay, boys, get a hold of him" Bobby instructed. Sam and Mark placed themselves on each side of Dean, holding him as tight as they could, their grip compromised by trying to avoid his injuries.

Bobby placed the other bottle to Dean's mouth and made him drink.

Almost immediately Dean bucked and screamed, smoke coming from his mouth. His head tipped back and Bobby poured, half choking him as the water continued to flow into his open mouth.

Mark reached over and placed a hand on Dean's chin, Sam grabbed his forehead, both men keeping Dean's head tilted back.

The screams became smoking gurgles as Bobby reached behind him for Sherry-Anne to hand him another water.

Then another.

Somehow, Dean did not pass out. His struggles became weaker, his cries less, but he still smoked and writhed as the water poured into his upturned mouth.

After what seemed like endless bottles of water the smoke stopped.

Mark let go of Dean's chin, Sam gently tipped his brother's head straight.

The green eyes were closed, but scrunched tight. He was still conscious.

"Dean?" Sam spoke softly.

Dean didn't move, his clothes soaked, though his fever seemed less.

"Dean?" Sam prompted again, and Mark let go of the injured hunter to wrap the blanked closer around him.

Sally threw them down a sweater and a jacket she had packed for her husband.

"Dean, can you hear me?" Sam asked.

The long lashed lids fluttered, then opened. Dean was looking straight ahead, and the first face he saw was Bobby's.

"Dad!" he gasped, and fainted.

Sam still had an arm around him, supporting him, and he and Mark dressed him as quickly as they could then wrapped the blanket back around him.

Without speaking all four men grabbed a corner each of the blanket and lifted Dean out of the furrow he had made and placed him gently placed him on the ground near the snow mobiles.

Sherry-Anne stepped forward and pulled Dean's cap back on his head, pulling it down over his ears.

Sally stood, open mouthed, watching how everyone worked together as if they had been rescuing people for years.

Her husband turned to her and saw the confusion in her face. "He saved us all, baby. I guess, with all we've been through, we just kinda, I don't know, sync, sort of, now"

Sally nodded. "What happened to you guys? Did the monster thing poison him?"

He professor pulled her tight as he watched Sam and Mark tend to the injured man, getting him ready to transport him on the back of the snow cat.

"I think that's a long story we'll tell after we get back. I don't know what we're going to tell everyone, though"

Sally frowned. "These guys are homeland security. They'll take care of it all"

Bobby looked over at the married couple, a grim look on his face. He gave the professor a little nod.

"They're not homeland security, baby" he husband explained. "They're monster hunters."

Sally pulled from his arms and turned to face him. "It wasn't a genetically modified alligator?"

"No, honey. It was a real bona-fide monster. But I'm thinking we just tell everyone it was a massive alligator"

She stood, confused, for a moment. "I'm guessing they're the reason you guys are alive" she finally said.

"Damn straight" Sherry-Anne stood and walked to her. "But the professor here kept me alive for a while before they came along. I can't thank him enough"

Sally hugged her.

"She pulled her weight as well, believe me" The professor smiled.

Sam sat on the snow mobile as Mark and Bobby hauled Dean up behind him and tied him to his brother.

"I'm going to take my wife on the snow cat, Mark, can you ride my horse back?"

"I'll ride behind you!" declared the cheerleader as Mark got on the paint mare, he offered her a hand and she swung up behind him.

They headed back to civilization, the professor leading the way, the broken, battered but not beaten crew finally leaving the frozen fields of white.

X

X

X

X

Dean forked a mouthful of scrambled eggs into his mouth. "You'll make someone a good wife one day, Bobby"

"Funny. Just make sure yah drink all a yer coffee"

Sam walked over to the coffee pot and filled his own cup. "How long till we stop making it with holy water?"

Bobby carried two more plates to the table and sat down, he handed one to Sam and sat the other in front of himself. "Just till I know you guys aint gonna turn into green black goo monsters. So, probably another two weeks"

Dean sat his fork down and picked up his coffee cup. He could only use one hand, the other arm was covered in a cast from his fingertips to his shoulder.

"Don't care. All I know is, I'm peein' normal, now. No more green colors"

Sam sat his fork down. "Um, Dean? Too much information"

Dean grinned. "Just sayin'. All the plumbing seems fine"

Bobby felt his heart grow warm. The boys were fine. Sam's stomach wounds had scabbed and cleared, the small white scars would soon fade to nothing.

Dean would take longer, his broken bones would have to knit, his immune system had taken a beating, but he looked good.

He sipped his own coffee, a thought starting and spreading to his lips in the form of a smile.

"What?" Dean asked.

Bobby sat his cup down, his grin growing wider.

Sam caught on straight away, his face also splitting into a grin.

"What?" Dean asked again, then he, too, caught on.

"I'm sure Mark'd be pleased to hear 'bout yer plumbin', son"

Dean scowled. "I don't remember any of that shit. You both coulda made it all up"

Sam smiled, his teeth showing. "I'm sure he'd like to check if your _pipes_ are all clear"

"Could _blow _out any blockage for yah" Bobby quipped and Sam roared with laughter as Dean scraped his chair away from the table.

He started to storm out of the room then turned, index finger pointed at the two at the table. "This is the last of it. You guys give me any more crap about Mark.."

Bobby grinned. "C'mon, Dean, it's all really just_ tongue in cheek_"

Dean cocked his head to one side. "You done?"

"_That's what he said_" Both Bobby and Sam laughed.

Dean rolled his eyes and stormed out of the room.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN...and that's all she wrote...this time. Please review, just coz the story has ended, does not mean my desperate need for recognition and praise has ...**_

_**And, if you haven't already, please check out my other stories. I'm also about to start another one...**_

_**Happy New Year, may it be safe, prosperous and happy...**_


	23. Chapter 23

_**A/N... I just wanted to let everyone know I have an original, non fanfic story over on fiction press . net ... it's called Madman Accross the Water, and you can find it under my pen name, ucat42. I am also there with Maddie Beaver (Yes, Jim Beaver's daughter) as Maddie10 with ucat42...**_


	24. Chapter 24

**Madman Across The Water.**

Please indulge me just a little, here. I have something exciting to tell you.

I am now a published author!

My book was written due to the encouragement and support of my wonderful readers here. It also encloses a dedication to Supernatural in the acknowledgments. Please have a look at it, and if you find it in your heart to buy a copy I would be forever grateful.

And for all of those FanFic writers out there, take heart! WE CAN WRITE! I did it, you can, too!

Here is a link to the book on Amazon:

Madman-Across-Water-Caroline-Angel/dp/1512288543/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?ie=UTF8&keywords=madman%20caroline&qid=1432947971&ref_=mp_s_a_1_2&sr=8-2


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